Airmen Make ‘Nest’ for Inbound ‘Osprey’

US Marine Corps, AL ASAD, Iraq: The Marines asked for help, so the Air Force unleashed its “Dirt Dogs” on the Al Asad flightline to finish building a home for the Marine Corps MV-22 ‘Osprey.’ 
 
The 557th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron began constructing infrastructure on the flightline May 17, to prepare for the arrival of the Osprey. 
 
Since arriving at Al Asad in May, the 557th has been tasked with many projects by the Marines, but this is a project they won’t soon forget. 
 
“We’re adding a ramp which adds one-third more taxiway to the flightline and two Osprey shelters,” said Senior Master Sgt. Arthur “Flea” Flecker, the heavy equipment operator superintendent for the 557th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron. “Red Horse is used to taking on big projects, but this one is huge.” 
The Osprey will use the ramp as a taxiway and parking area. The two shelters will be used for storage and maintenance of the aircraft. 
 
To complete the project, it required 21 Dirt Dogs working around the clock. The night crew consists of 18 Airmen who excavate, prepare and pour concrete at the site to create the 270-foot by 430-foot 10-inch-thick concrete pad. The three Dirt Dogs on the day crew haul away debris and bring the necessary tools and equipment to the site as well as conduct the saw cutting, which adds strength to the freshly poured concrete. 
 
The 557th has faced many challenges while building a home for the MV-22, but the biggest has been relying on the concrete contractors to produce enough quality concrete fast enough. 
 
“The other day we were battling the concrete,” said Flecker. “The concrete was so hard coming out of the shoot it took eight hours for us to work what would normally take us three hours to do. The contractors couldn’t keep up with us. It was a tough night, but you can’t defeat the RED HORSE, this is an awesome group.” 
 
The primary role of the 557th ERHS on Al Asad is to support the Army and Marine Corps with construction operations. 
 
“We are actually under Army control, we are combat engineers,” said Flecker. “We have people doing electrical sub-stations, we have people building SWA huts. We’re tasked from building everything from Hesco barriers with concertina wire to taxiways and runway shelters.” 
 
Compared to the ERHS that was here before them, the 557th is running at half strength and are performing the same work load as the former squadron. 
 
“It’s a diverse group and in the Air Force diversity is key because there are all sorts of people with experience and everyone has something to add to the project,” said Air Force Staff Sgt. Jason Caceras, a heavy equipment operator with 557th ERHS. 
 
The Airmen working on the project feel a sense of pride for working for the Marines and the Osprey, according to Flecker. 
 
“Our number one mission on this base is to get this taxiway and those two shelters up before the Osprey show up,” said Flecker. “It’s the number one project for the Marines here. We feel privileged because it’s a once in a lifetime thing to go home and say that you built the place where the first Osprey came.”