From the Frontlines: Senior Airman Joshua Schiltz

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Brigitte N. Brantley
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  From fixing up an '88 Monte Carlo SS in small-town Iowa to repairing Humvees in Southwest Asia, one mechanically inclined Airman has come a long way in using his automobile know-how to make things run smoothly.

Senior Airman Joshua Schiltz, a vehicle maintainer from the 509th Logistics Readiness Squadron, returned in early June from a six-month deployment during which he continued his home station mission of helping maintain the Air Force vehicle fleet.

Assigned to the 386th Expeditionary LRS during that time, Schiltz was responsible for making sure the base's general purpose vehicles were ready to hit the road at a moment's notice. These included everything from security forces vehicles to Humvees.

"Fixing our own vehicles with my dad was a hobby growing up," said Schiltz. "Coming into the Air Force, I knew I wanted vehicle maintenance as a job and Whiteman as an assignment. I was lucky and got both."

Schiltz added that while the Monte Carlo is still sitting unfinished in storage, he has learned that getting the job done in the military requires a more structured approach.
"I used my car more for demolition derbies, so I didn't care if stuff broke," he said. "In the Air Force, there so many more rules and regulations you have to follow, so no more hanging engines from trees.

"One of the most challenging things is that vehicle technology is always changing and you always have to learn new things," Schiltz added.

Although much of his time was spent inside the wire, his shop also often left the base's confines to support other forward operating bases' vehicle maintenance requirements.

"Schiltz was a great asset to the mission," said Tech. Sgt. Caryn White, who supervised him downrange before also returning to the 509th LRS in May. "He was a hard worker and the team and I always enjoyed working with him."

Now back at Whiteman, Schiltz will take his 14 days rest and relaxation before getting back into the groove of things. As a senior airman who has been in nearly four years, he is responsible for helping the newer Airmen master the ins and outs of their new careers.

"Before I joined, I thought I knew what I was doing," said Schiltz. "Now though, I know a lot more and I look forward to helping the new guys learn their jobs."