FOD walk frees flightline of debris, runway open for business

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Ray Bowden
  • 39th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Approximately 900 Incirlik Airmen and civilians gathered at sunrise April 18 to sweep the flightline area free of debris before Incirlik's s runway officially re-opened. 

The Airmen met behind the wing's fire station at 6:30 a.m. and after a brief welcome from Col. Phil McDaniel, 39th Air Base Wing commander, and instructions from Master Sgt. Mark Pindell, 39th Maintenance Group quality assurance superintendent and wing foreign object damage monitor, traveled via bus to one of three separate areas: the "Golf Loop" and the runway's east and west ends where they lined up and swept their areas. 

As an incentive to promote attention to detail, Sergeant Pindell placed one "Golden Bolt" in each of the three areas. Airmen who found a bolt were rewarded with a one-day pass by Colonel McDaniel. 

"The purpose of the 'Golden Bolt' is to encourage us to really inspect the areas we're sweeping," said Sergeant Pindell. 

The group reconvened at the fire stationed at 8 a.m. with most Airmen holding bags - if not large pieces of debris - and placed their trash into one of several cans or deposited their bags onto a pile of collected refuse. 

According to Sergeant Pindell, 353 pounds of trash was removed from the runway, the taxiways and adjoining grassy areas. This collected debris included a large weather-beaten sign, several feet of steel rebar and a rubber hose. 

As many Airmen know, keeping a debris-free flightline is as necessary as breathing. 

"Controlling FOD goes a long way toward ensuring our success and the maintaining of our resources," said Colonel McDaniel. "FOD is arbitrary and doesn't know the difference between an aircraft or vehicle. 

The event concluded with Colonel McDaniel thanking the Airmen for their efforts in maintaining a safe environment for both American and Turkish aircraft. 

Incirlik's runway had been closed approximately one month for maintenance.