2nd CES Technical Support draws the line on construction

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Benjamin Raughton
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. - --  Whether it's plumbing, construction, demolition or electric power, one Barksdale flight is first in line for many engineering projects.

The 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron Technical Support section supports the 2nd Bomb Wing by providing maps and floor plans for construction as well as surveying operations.

"If it wasn't for the Technical Support section, no building on Barksdale could feasibly exist," said Tech. Sgt. Kevin Hopp, 2nd CES Technical Support section chief. "Everything that gets built goes through this flight. Without us, there would be nobody to survey or plan. We're the first building block to creating a structure."

Technical Support also provides monetary savings to the Air Force by having trained Airmen perform potentially expensive operations themselves, reducing the need for hiring off-base contractors.

One of these cost-saving measures is surveying, a process that can involve satellites to give accurate positions of building locations and utility lines that may be used to update maps.

"Surveying is the biggest saving," Hopp said. "If the contractor had to hire a subcontractor to do the surveying, that money would be tacked onto the total bill of the project. We want to keep as much work in-house as possible."

Other work the Technical Support Airmen keep in-house is mapmaking. The flight maintains records of maps and floor plans dating back to the origin of Barksdale Field: the 1930s.

"Engineers support the base by getting things built, renovated or demolished, and they use our documentation," Hopp said. "It's important that we have accurate record so they can determine if there are utilities underground or in the walls of a building as a safety precaution."

Furthermore, if power goes out on Barksdale, Technical Support would be able to let the electricians know where the transformer is, said Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Wagner, 2nd CES Technical Support engineering craftsman.
"It'd be hard to fly planes without power, water or other functions 2nd CES offers," he added.

Whether its building a massive aircraft hangar or a small staircase handrail, Technical Support Airmen give others the maps and information necessary to get the job accomplished, quickly, accurately and cost-efficient.