The fixer upper

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Joseph A. Pagán Jr.
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
A hero was born May 14, 1990. He has no special powers, no sidekick and he doesn't wear a disguise. What he does have are power tools, crew members and a U.S. Air Force uniform.

Senior Airman Steven Price, 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron structural apprentice, peers off the roof of the 20th Bomb Squadron. He looks as far as his eyes can see.

"I've touched a lot of peoples' lives on this base, and they don't even know it," said Price. "Their roofs needed to be fixed, my crew and I fixed them. Their floors needed to be fixed, my crew and I fixed them."

Every morning, Price wakes up knowing he will be repairing or building something on Barksdale.

He arrives at work, gathers his crew members and grabs a clipboard with the required jobs for the day and plans for them accordingly.

"We plan for the job by going out to the site, getting eyes-on the problem, and then we look at all the things we need to get the job accomplished such as tools, materials or more man power," said Price. "Every tool we have has a specific job. We also apply our knowledge from training and past projects to our future ones."

After Price and his crew have their duties for the day, they head out and start repairing.

"We fix everything from door knobs and door closures to roofs and windows," said Price.

Recently, structures finished placing 1800 sq. ft. of floor tile inside the Youth Center. The job took roughly 100 hours and six people to complete, he added.

"My job is critical and hard work," Price said. "We aid the Barksdale mission by providing shelters and keeping up the quality of life for all the Airmen on the base."

Price is often tasked to be on standby 24 hours-a-day 7 days-a-week for one week starting on a Thursday and ending the following Wednesday.

"When an emergency comes through while on standby, the fire department coordinates with us on where it is and who to contact to assist in fixing the problem," said Price.

Price loves his job, and recently turned down a palace chase opportunity, which would have ended his enlistment two years early.

"My wife Nicole and I were having a hard time adapting, and we wanted to raise our daughter Addison in our home town," said Price. "Thankfully, I had a mentor who believed in me and showed me why it was the wrong decision."

"I saw the potential in Airman Price," said Master Sgt. Christopher Clark, structures element NCO in-charge. "When he talks about his job, you can tell the passion he has for it. Price has a natural gift that the Air Force seeks on a day-to-day basis."

Price realizes how much he has to offer the Air Force, and how much the Air Force has to offer his family.

"Ultimately, I decided to stay because of my family," said Price. "Being a civilian would be great, but I couldn't risk my family's well being and stability."

Price is a not your typical hero. He doesn't wear a mask and he doesn't have a secret hideout. He is a father, a husband and an Airman who works to ensure the mission of Barksdale continues.