Wyoming Air National Guard’s Master Sgt. Jesse Johnson, 153rd Civil Engineer Squadron, cuts pavers with a K-12 saw for a new walk way at the NATO School Aug. 20, 2012, Oberammergau, Germany. Airmen from the 153rd CES are putting their skills to work as they conduct their annual training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Natalie Stanley)
Wyoming Air National Guard’s Tech. Sgt. James Brown, 153rd Civil Engineer Squadron, prepares beams for a car port structure at the NATO School recreation center Aug. 20, 2012, Oberammergau, Germany. Airmen from the 153rd CES are putting their skills to work as they conduct their annual training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Natalie Stanley)
Wyoming Air National Guard’s Master Sgt. Frank Wilson, 153rd Civil Engineer Squadron, reams and threads a pipe for a NATO School facility roof snow break installation project Aug. 21, 2012, Oberammergau, Germany. Airmen from the 153rd CES are putting their skills to work as they conduct their annual training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Natalie Stanley)
Wyoming Air National Guard’s Staff Sgt. Robert Parrish, 153rd Civil Engineer Squadron, works on the NATO School facility roof snow break installation project Aug. 21, 2012, Oberammergau, Germany. Airmen from the 153rd CES are putting their skills to work as they conduct their annual training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Natalie Stanley)
Wyoming Air National Guard’s Tech. Sgt. Jeffery Pigman, 153rd Civil Engineer Squadron power production member, sifts through construction debris for recycling Aug. 21, 2012, Oberammergau, Germany. Airmen from the 153rd CES are putting their skills to work as they conduct their annual training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Natalie Stanley)
Wyoming Air National Guard’s Senior Airman Will Patterson, 153rd Civil Engineer Squadron, operates a plate tamper to pack down freshly laid asphalt at the NATO School Aug. 20, 2012, Oberammergau, Germany. Airmen from the 153rd CES are putting their skills to work as they conduct their annual training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Natalie Stanley)
Wyoming Air National Guard’s Tech. Sgt. Rick Boyd, 153rd Civil Engineer Squadron, helps off-load pavers for a new walk way at the NATO School Aug. 20, 2012, Oberammergau, Germany. Airmen from the 153rd CES are putting their skills to work as they conduct their annual training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Natalie Stanley)
by Staff Sgt. Natalie Stanley
153rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
8/27/2012 - Oberammergau, Germany -- 'Semper Gumby', or 'always flexible', is the motto Master Sgt. Lee Najera, power production shop supervisor, lives by when it comes to his job with the Wyoming Air National Guard's 153rd Civil Engineer Squadron, power production shop.
"You have to remain flexible because you never know what you'll be doing next," said Najera.
Deployment training at Oberammergau, Germany, is no exception. Najera and his four-member group assist where needed: readying plastic grids for recycling, helping with NATO School roofing projects, operating heavy equipment and laying asphalt.
"The benefit of being a 'Jack of All Trades' is always getting to learn something new," said Staff Sgt. C.J. Ostrander, 153 CES power production specialist.
With only one generator that needed servicing this trip, Airmen of the power production shop didn't get to use their primary job training which includes: providing generator power services to electricians, maintaining generators and servicing aircraft arresting systems.
However, a lack of generator jobs didn't stop the team from using this training opportunity to learn new trades and brush up on skills not always available to them at home station.
"Everyone has pitched in and learned a lot this trip," said Najera. "It takes a lot of cooperation and coordination on everyone's part and they have all done very well."
