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Altus air Force Base 97th Logistics Group Maintenance
A-Team is "growing its own mechanics" with the help
of some local friends.
Since 1998, Altus Air Force
Base has partnered with Southwest Technology Center, local high
schools, Western Oklahoma State College and the civilian maintenance
unit, and developed the successful "Grow Your Own Mechanic"
program.
The program is recognized across the country as a showplace for
other bases in the Air Force.
While graduates of the program
fill immediate vacancies, the critical goal of the 'Grow Your
Own Mechanic' program is to train, qualify, and mature aircraft
maintenance technicians for long-term employment requirements,
according to Mike Bradley, Director of Maintenance, (A-Team),
Altus Air Force Base.
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"Young people in Southwest Oklahoma are a significant part
of the future health in this organization. Some will become tonorrow's
leadership," Bradley said.
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Today, 33 Southwest Tech graduates of the
program are now full-time mechanics at Altus AFB.
"When Altus AFB developed a need for
trained aircraft mechanics, the A-Team coordinated with the SWTC
to develop what has become known in Air Force circles as the
"grow your own aircraft mechanic program," Bradley
said.
That's why Altus Air Force Base is being
recognized as an Oklahoma CareerTech Business Champion.
A CareerTech Business Champion is
an Oklahoma business or industry that attributes much of their
economic success to the partnerships they have forms with local
technology centers or high school CareerTech programs.
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Mike Bradley |
 The A-Team is responsible for all C-5, C-17 and
KC-135 aircraft maintenance at the base and support in helping
to develop the aircraft maintenance technology program at SWTC.
"When we started this program, we felt that the early development
in career opportunities was critical in sustaining the local
community and would afford the A-Team with personnel that will
likely be career employees," Bradley said.
The partnership has started to pay off.
The partnership established between us, the Southwest Technology
Center and area high schools has been instrumental in building
a foundation of skills that support our long-term goals of hiring
and developing employees for career employment," said Bradley.
 Training
in aircraft painting, sheet metal, electricity, nondestructive
testing, welding, wood and fabric work, composite structures,
landing gear repair and aircraft taxiing are some of the skills
these mechanics receive through Southwest Technology Center.
"The great thing about this partnership is that it provides
well-paying job opportunities for adults and high schools students
who want to stay, live and work in southwest Oklahoma,"
said Dr. June Knight, superintendent of Southwest Technology
Center.
The A-Team has 825 employees with salaries
ranging from approximately $21,000 for trainees to $60,000 to
$100,000 for senior managers.
"We are really proud of our 33 Southwest Technology Center
graduates and each and every one of them is progressing well
and are considered valued employees," Bradley said .
 "We feel the A-Team has a lot to offer for
those interested in a career in aviation maintenance," he
said. "These technology center graduates can look forward
to a very rewarding career in civil service with the Air Force."
Knight said under Bradley's leadership and support, the USAF,
through Altus Air force Base, has loaned or donated various excess
aircraft equipment including a C-141 jet engine and a C-5 cockpit
procedure trainer, in support of the training program. Add hundreds
of spare aircraft parts and other training aids, and the SWTC
has one of the most comprehensive training programs found anywhere.
A big plus for the program is The Federal Aviation Authority
and the Air Force monitors the curriculum. This allows instructors
to teach exact maintenance methods and procedures.
 "During
the school year, students make many field trips to the base to
visit the various maintenance shops to observe the procedures
they are taught in the classroom," she said. "Plus,
students have an opportunity to put their training to use by
working part-time at the base when they are not in school."
"But, none of this would be possible without the hard work
of Mike Bradley and his staff. They opened many doors for us,
which has created a win-win situation for both the Air Force
and the citizens of southwest Oklahoma," she said.
"The A-Team and their support of technology training, not
only at the local level, but across the state of Oklahoma and
in the ranks of the United State Air Force, have been outstanding."
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