One Stop Shop: A look into the 917th one shop at a time

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Crystal Marie Jordan
  • 917th Wing Public Affairs
Barksdale Air Force Base, La. --  The B-52 Stratofortess, the A-10 Thunderbolt II and the C-130 Hercules.

These air-bound guardians are just three of the many types of aircraft the United States Air Force holds in its arsenal.

To maintain these metal monstrosities, there are men and women in uniform bending, cutting and replacing panels, bolts and nuts day in and day out.

It's no surprise throughout the past 52 years, since the activation of the US Air Force; metal has been her fabric of choice. Also, it's no surprise that the servicemembers who handle this steadfast element are masters of their trade. And in more ways than most would realize.

The Fabrications Shop in the 917th Maintenance Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., "bends backward" to tackle any job, big or small that may come their way.

Aircraft structural maintenance is one of the many areas of responsibility entrusted to the Fabrications Shop here on Barksdale. Working on both B-52s and A-10s keeps the shop busy with repairs or replacements needed.

From completely replacing the skin of an aircraft, to a minor repair to the vessel, the technicians deal with any and all that is metal when it comes to the aircraft here on Barksdale.

However, every now and then, a project comes along allowing these steel-skilled Airmen to flex their creativity in order to aid their unit, command or base.

"We don't just maintain aircraft", said Airman 1st Class David Shellgren, an active-duty aircraft structural technician from the 2nd Bomb Wing here, working in the Fabrications Shop at the 917th WG, in support of Total Force Integration. "If it's made out of metal, we make it. If it's not made out of metal, we'll try and make it out of metal."

In addition to their regular duties, the Airmen of the shop create plaques for numerous types of military ceremonies. They also repair exhibits for the 8th Air Force Museum on Barksdale and fabricate signs that are used throughout the base, said Airman Shellgren.

"We've made some amazing things for retirement ceremonies for distinguished military personnel," said the technician. "We've actually used recycled material in order to construct a retirement plaque out of a part of an A-10 hull."

"We are also reconstructing a piece of an aircraft that was used in the Korean War for the 8th Air Force Museum," said the Airman. "We do it all."
Big or small, it's no easy task and the Airmen in the Fabrications Shop continue bending metal to their will to get the job done.