HARM ensures aircrew members are ready to fly

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Montse Ramirez
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  With more than 300 pilots here, all with different levels of training and experience, how does the commander know who to decide the best fit for a mission? 

Aiding with this task is 509th Host Aviation Resource Management and schedulers. They maintain aircrew member's records to include pilot's training, allowing commanders to meticulously select the most qualified to perform a mission.

Having the ability to see a pilot's records allows commanders to select the pilot that is in need of a certain training to stay current or one who is most suited to perform a mission, making it easier to select the best candidate.

The mission of the 509th Operation Support Squadron, Host Aviation Resource Management, is to provide administrative customer service to all flying and para-rescue personnel assigned here, to include Guard and Reserve units, thus giving commanders the tools they need to select the best candidate to perform the mission.

HARM is the head office overseeing the flying squadrons, ensuring all pilots are qualified and ready to fly at any time.

"Our job is to maintain personnel Flight Records Folders to include in processing, out processing, audits, as well as annual record reviews," said Master Sgt. Cody Reich, 509th Operations Support Squadron, chief host aviation rescue manager. "Another facet is to update the training tables. These show where aircrew members are assigned to and what training requirements are needed of those individuals to ensure safe and effective flying of our nation's only B-2 Bomber fleet."

Airman 1st Class Staci Cooper, Aviation Resource Management apprentice, explains why her job is essential to the mission, "We are the reason why pilots are in the position to perform the mission. We keep them ready to fly."

"According to the Federal Aviation Administration, it's illegal for pilots to fly without having proper paperwork or aeronautical orders, so we ensure that everything is taken care of," said Airman Cooper.

Without HARM, flight physicals wouldn't be up to date, training wouldn't be completed in a timely manner, and other administrative aspects would not get done, sending mission planning into chaos.

"If a pilot doesn't perform training that he or she is supposed to in order to fly, and the records don't show it, the consequences could be catastrophic," Sergeant Reich said. "Without the proper training, pilots are more likely to make mistakes during a real-world mission, possibly resulting in a potential loss of life and multi-billion dollar assets."

HARM also works alongside maintenance schedulers to plan when pilots fly and perform missions.

"We control the wing scheduling and ensure we have aircraft available for real world and training sorties," said Sergeant Reich.

There is a wide range of responsibilities the HARM performs; all of them ensuring aircrew members are ready to go on the right mission. So the next time an aircraft takes off, know that HARM has already been there, putting the right person behind the stick.