Working in tight spaces: Airman trades 'cubicle prison' to fix aircraft fuel tanks

Airman, Dec, 2004 by Christin Michaud

Several months ago, Airman 1st Class Brynn Baker drove home from work at about the same time most people were just getting to work at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.

Once in her dormitory room, she went straight to sleep. Then she got up, ran some errands, got something to eat and went back to work at midnight.

Today, she works the "swing shift," from 3:30 p.m. to midnight. But she doesn't mind being a shift worker, because she likes her job.

After graduating from Delcampo High School at Sacramento, Calif., in 2001, Airman Baker moved out of her parent's house and got a job as a customer service representative. It didn't take her long to realize an office job wasn't her cup of tea.

"I needed a career change," she said of the job that reminded her of the movie "Office Space." "It was the same noises everyday."

In December 2002, Airman Baker traded in her dull California life--and "cubicle prison"--for a job as an Air Force aircraft fuel systems apprentice.

She loves it.

Other than the twins who were her high school friends--who went to college and then joined the Marine Corps--Airman Baker's other friends haven't done much. "A lot of them are still living at home," she said.

The Golden State native loves going to the beach and camping in the summer. She spends her winters watching lots of movies in her off duty time. In fact Airman Baker said one day she'd like to major in art or cinema.

"But, I haven't taken enough college [courses] to know," the 21-year-old said.

One thing she did know was that she wanted to be an aircraft fuel tank systems repairman.

"It was my first choice," she said.

Airman Baker isn't new to fixing things. It's a passion she gets from her mom and dad. While growing up, Airman Baker's parents worked on cars, and she'd help.

Taking things apart, seeing how they work and putting them back together without pieces left over was a hobby she mastered at an early age.

"My dad would bring home beat up VCRs and I'd fix them," she said.

After meeting with an Air Force recruiter, Airman Baker turned the hobby into a paycheck. She was eager to put her mechanical skills to the test at McGuire after eight weeks of technical training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.

"My mom is always bragging to her friends and saying 'my daughter is in the Air Force--she fixes the planes,'" the Airman said.

Regardless of which shift she works to fix those planes, Airman Baker's duty day begins with roll call and training.

"Then we get the status of our planes and perform maintenance in our hangar or out on the flightline," Airman Baker said.

Sometimes her work is routine, while other times, it's a "red streak"--when maintainers must perform immediate maintenance, crucial to the mission, before the plane can get off the ground.

"You have to jump right in and prove you're a good mechanic," she said of working in a career field with many more men than women.

It's tough work. She wears coveralls and--with help from her cell teammates--uses sponges to soak up fuel inside a tank before performing maintenance or trouble shooting a fuel cell. That means working in tight spaces.

"Getting into really tiny spaces for hours while doing maintenance is one of the most challenging aspects of the job," Airman Baker said.

But the variety of tasks and the fact she can work inside or outdoors are big pluses.

"This job is great if you like mechanics, you're not claustrophobic and you don't mind getting wet every now and then," she said. "Because you will get wet."

Career Field Facts

2A6X4--Aircraft fuel tank systems

Assigned: 1,959

Duties: Removes, repairs, inspects, installs and modifies aircraft fuel systems, including integral fuel tanks, bladder cells and external tanks.

Civilian application: Avionics mechanic.

Airman 1st Class Brynn Baker

Aircraft fuel tank systems repairman, 305th Maintenance Squadron, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.

Years in Air Force: Two

Hometown: Sacramento, Calif.

Reason for joining: "Being a part of fighting terrorism."

Assignments: McGuire.

Coming up: Hopes to one day get into art or cinema.

Best thing about the job: "There is a variety of tasks, including inside and outside work--and the different people you meet on the job."