AF program offers free equipment repair

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Brigitte Brantley
  • 23rd Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  When units have a piece of equipment that is either broken or no longer under a service warranty, there is a program offered that provides an alternative way to fix it before completely disposing of it.

The 23rd Maintenance Group oversees the Air Force Repair Enhancement Program at Moody. The free service is available to all units on base and is capable of fixing a variety of items from avionics equipment to cameras.

"We will try to fix anything that has a power cord or circuit card," said Tech. Sgt. Giovanna Roberts, 23rd MXG AFREP technician. "If we can't repair an item, then we have the resources to help units find out where it can be sent.

"We have a good relationship with the maintenance units on base, but other units don't know we are here or what services we offer," she added. "If there's equipment that needs fixing, give us a shot at it; chances are we will be able to restore it back to working order."

Five Airmen from various career fields, most who come from an aircraft maintenance or electronics career field, were selected to operate the AFREP office.

"The Airmen who work here are hand-selected because of their background and expertise," said Tech. Sgt. Illya Cooper, 23rd MXG AFREP program manager. "Each individual maintains their original Air Force Specialty Code. However, additional training may be provided to them, such as a six-week course on how to manage micro-miniature parts, such as circuit cards.

Because the AFREP office can potentially save units money, they keep track of funds. They track funds in two separate ways, credit and cost avoidance.

If parts are secured through the supply store on base or other channels, the cost of those parts are credited to the AFREP account.

Cost avoidance is measured by how much the units have saved by having their parts repaired and installed by the AFREP as opposed to having a contractor repair an item.

In 2008, Moody's AFREP repaired more than 185 parts worth more than $1.5 million. Nearly $1 million saved was by cost avoidance. The money that was saved was returned to the units at the group level.

In the past, the AFREP has helped repair everything from the electronic score keepers at the Bowling Alley to the mosquito traps on the Grand Bay Bombing and Gunnery Range.

For more information on what the AFREP offers, call (229) 257-4026.

"AFREP is extremely beneficial because not only do we assist units in saving money, we have a quicker turnaround time for equipment," said Sergeant Roberts. "We can often times return the repaired part back to a unit in a matter of days, as opposed to several months.

"If you have something that's not functioning properly or needs to be repaired, let us take a look at it and see if we can fix it before you decide to get rid of it for good," he added.