Tom

living out life
2008-01-16 04:53:38 (UTC)

Airpower Expeditionary Force, part 4

The time came for us to set up our “shop”. The proper name
for it is LANTIRN Mobile Shelter Set, but in true military
fashion, it is mostly referred to by its acronym, LMSS.
The LMSS is the testing facility for the LANTIRN (Low
Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night)
system that we maintained. The LMSS is basically two mini
buildings that attach to form one. We had split them apart
back at Moody, filled them up with supplies and shipped
them over. Now, it was up to the seven of us to put it
back together.

There was a lot of work involved, but after finding a
place for everything and maneuvering both halves of the
LMSS together with a 22K forklift, it all seemed to go
rather quickly. This little building housed all of our
testing equipment, tools and a makeshift pantry that was
stocked with basic essentials from home like instant
oatmeal, coffee and Pop-tarts. Behind the LMSS we were
able to build a makeshift plywood structure that held the
benchstock materials and various pieces of test equipment.

Later on, we were able to build a ping pong table out of
some spare wood. One of the members of our shop had the
foresight to pack ping pong paddles and balls, hoping for
the chance to get a table built. We were all glad that he
did because it was a nice break to step out back and play
a game under the camo netting.

It was at the end of putting the LMSS together that I
managed to injure myself. There is a steel beam that gets
mounted to the front of the LMSS. This beam has a hoist
attached that is used to move the LANTIRN pods in and out
so we can work on them. The forklift was needed to lift
this in place, but it had been borrowed by another shop.
My friend Jack and I were going to get the beam into
position on the ground so that we could get it ready for
the forklift. It needed to move over about a foot, but I
wasn’t sure that I could lift it. Jack straddled it, bent
down and grabbed it, then picked up his end and
said, “It’s not that heavy; I think we can move it”. I was
apprehensive, but decided to give it a try. We got on
different ends, straddled the beam and bent at the knees
(not the back). Jack called out the numbers, “One, two,
three, lift”. As soon as I picked it up I heard a nasty
cracking noise in my back. I somehow managed to get it
moved over the foot it needed to go, but my back was
wasted after that. It quickly tightened up and before long
I was tilted over sideways.

By the time I got to the medical tent I was in serious
pain. They gave me some Flexiril and told me to stay off
of it for a couple of days. Thankfully, we were mostly
done setting up because the Flexiril knocked me out. After
about two days, I was able to get back on my feet and back
to work. It didn’t bother me for the rest of the trip, but
to this day, it still goes out once in a while. Every time
it happens, I am reminded of that day in Jordan.




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