Pest management: It’s a dirty job … but some Airmen have to do it

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Terri Barriere
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La --  Editor's note: This story is the first installment of a five-part series on dirty jobs. These articles highlight the Airmen whose missions take them to some of the most unthinkable places on base and back. These are their stories.

While the thought of hunting cockroaches, chasing rodents or getting up close and personal with creepy crawlies may send the average Airman running in the opposite direction, Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen assigned to the 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron Pest Management Flight purposely seek them out on a daily basis.

"The mission of the pest management flight is to control insects, rodents and other nuisance animals on base in order to keep base patrons safe from disease," said Maj. Walter Gibbins, 2 CES Pest Management Flight operations officer in charge. "The shop is also responsible for controlling vegetation, especially when it encroaches the flightline area and affects flying operations."

According to Major Gibbins, his Airmen are no stranger to phone calls to go scrape up road kill or crawling into attics to chase rodents, squirrels and occasionally bees when they cause problems for facility occupants.

"Our job is very unsavory," Airman 1st Class Thomas Davis, 2 CES Pest Management Flight said. "The smells alone would probably be too much for the average person. You have to have a strong stomach. It took me a while to adapt to the job, but I think it helps when you have to deal with the matter directly."

While in technical school, pest management technicians are taught to identify different types of wildlife in order to best know how to deal with them, which turns an otherwise dirty job into somewhat of a game.

"Usually we get so caught up looking for the cause of a smell we're able to forget about the smell or not think about what it is we're actually doing," said Airman Davis, who admitted to still being a little leery to hunting rodents in small spaces - even after two years on the job.

"I'm not scared of much, but sometimes when we've got to get into a small space to find the source of a smell, and we don't know where it's going to come from or when a dead rodent is going to pop out in my face, it can be a little eerie," he said.

Though every base has its own unique need for a pest management shop, the hot and humid Louisiana climate ensures Barksdale's shop never runs out of things to do.

"Louisiana's high humidity and climate make it a breeding ground for mosquitoes, so keeping them under control is a constant battle," Major Gibbins said.

He said the shop's efforts to keep the mosquitoes in check usually include fogging and treating standing water, but could be as severe as calling in local government agencies for aerial spraying if the mosquito population gets too bad.

Another pesky issue unique to Barksdale is the bee population and the problem it causes Barksdale's B-52 aircraft fleet.

"One of our more distinct issues here is the bees that find their way into nooks and crannies of our B-52s. We routinely get calls from the aircrew and maintainers who find swarms of bees and nests in wheel-wells and engines of the aircraft," Major Gibbins said.

In addition to pesky insects, Airman Davis said one of the more unique, yet little known critters unique to Louisiana is the nutria, a large semi-aquatic rodent commonly found near wetlands. They also frequently deal with possums and raccoons.

"I never thought I would be hunting rodents or scraping up road kill for a living," Airman Davis said. "But at least people appreciate us and tell us thank you. I get a lot of thanks everyday, and I have interesting stories to tell, so that makes it worth it."

So how may Airmen does it take to keep Barksdale's pest at bay?

Barksdale has four Airmen who are certified per federal and Department of Defense regulations to apply and mix the chemicals necessary for community pest control, but the major cautioned anyone looking to join their team that it's not for the faint of heart.

"To work in pest management, you can't have an aversion to animals," he said. "We are the local community animal control for snakes, possums and anything else that is a nuisance or pest. People who are scared of animals need not apply."

Although few people realize the pest management issue actually exists until they're needed, Airman Davis said it can actually be a pretty exciting and rewarding job.

"This job very rarely gets dull. People are always excited to see us and are pleased when we show up and when we leave. It's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it," he said.

The "dirty work" may be pest management's mission, but ultimately the responsibility of keeping the creepy crawlies and rodents on base to a minimum rests with everyone.

The pest management flight suggested keeping base facilities as sanitary as possible to include taking out the trash, cleaning up and never leaving food sitting around.

"Keeping sound sanitary practices is the key to pest control and educating base organizations and patrons is crucial," Major Gibbins said. "The shop is glad to educate anyone who has questions on pest management."