Yokota's mission thrives through materiel management

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman David Owsianka
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  When people need spare parts for their vehicle they can go to a mechanic or an auto shop for the parts, but what happens when an aircraft needs a part to continue working?

The 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron materiel management flight ensures the necessary supplies and equipment are available for and travel with C-130 Hercules, C-12 Huron, UH-1N Huey, C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft as they fly to different military installations and remote locations. Yokota's materiel management flight manages supplies and equipment providing logistical support to 28 units and 18 aircraft assigned to the base.

The flight is responsible for all retail materiel management functions for Yokota AB and its geographically separated units. These functions include storing, inspecting, inventorying, issuing, returning, repair cycle and customer support. They are also the primary liaison between customers and the Air Force Materiel Command supply chain management activities.

"We consolidate items that are similar and store them to best meet the customers' needs," said Senior Master Sgt. David Arnett, 374 LRS materiel management flight chief. "All of our equipment is positioned, depending on the part types and units, in several warehouses across the base to provide supplies to the customer quicker."

Throughout the flight, the sections combine to manage all parts coming from AFMC and Defense Logistics Agency. The flight is divided into two sections and nine elements to successfully provide the supplies and equipment to the units and aircraft.

One section is the asset management section. It is divided into four elements; aircraft parts store, hazardous materials, individual protective equipment and central storage. The Airmen assigned to this section manage the warehouses and are responsible for stocking, storing, issuing and inspection of Department of Defense supplies and equipment.

The other section is the customer support section. It is divided into two elements; equipment accountability and customer service. The section members respond to customer logistics concerns and proactively anticipate problems that can impede Yokota's mission requirements.

There are an additional three elements outside of the two sections. They are the flight service center, inventory and inspection, focus on tracking all items requiring repair or replacement, conducting limited inspector training and executing inventory functions according to DoD policy.

They also provide weapons for 374th Security Forces Squadron, firefighting foam for the 374th Civil Engineer Squadron and classified phones for base's command and control. There are warehouses with stockrooms for each of the different types of supplies and equipment to include hazardous, pilfer able, classified, bulk and a miscellaneous items.

"It's important for us, within the aircraft parts store, to manage and supply spare parts for the aircraft because without supply the planes don't fly," said Staff Sgt. Hailie Reyes, 374 LRS materiel management flight aircraft parts store NCO in charge. "Cargo and personnel wouldn't be able to move to and from Yokota without us supplying the spare parts needed to maintain the aircraft."

The materiel management flight provides the necessary equipment for aircraft and personnel on deployments and temporary duty assignments, ensuring that Yokota's Airmen can successfully complete their tasks.

For aircraft, there are two packages containing aircraft parts that are always ready to go. Once notified of the tasking, the materiel members have less than 12 hours to complete an inventory and process the paperwork. For personnel, it depends on the number of personnel and the location requirements.

"It's vital that we provide the equipment when aircraft fly personnel TDY because if a problem arises and they don't have the necessary spare parts, the maintainers wouldn't be able to repair the aircraft and the pilots would not be able to complete the mission," Arnett said. "We save time, money and manpower by having our spare parts already in-place with the aircraft."

The materiel management flight is imperative in providing the necessary supplies and equipment to support the various base agencies and AMC's mission to ensure mission success in moving cargo and personnel throughout the Pacific.