Day-to-day with 86th VRS special vehicle maintainers

Airman 1st Class Brennan Gregory, 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron special vehicle maintenance journeyman, washes his hands as he gets ready to return to his shop on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 30, 2017. Different from normal maintainers, special vehicle maintainers work on vehicles that work specifically for flightline operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lane T. Plummer)

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Day-to-day with 86th VRS special vehicle maintainers

A C-17 Globemaster III is seen taxiing on the flightline from within an equipment warehouse belonging to the 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron’s special vehicle maintenance shop on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 30, 2017. Special vehicle maintainers keep flightline vehicles running smoothly so units can transport items around base and to or from planes. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lane T. Plummer)

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Day-to-day with 86th VRS special vehicle maintainers

Airman 1st Class Brennan Gregory, 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron special vehicle maintenance journeyman, sits inside an equipment warehouse belonging to his shop on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 30, 2017. Gregory’s shop has 12 Airmen and all are charged with maintaining special vehicles. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lane T. Plummer)

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Day-to-day with 86th VRS special vehicle maintainers

From left, Airmen 1st Class Briann Eddy, Brennan Gregory and Dakota Staten, 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron special vehicle maintenance journeymen, inspect a Tunner 60K Loader on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 30, 2017. All three have been together since technical training in California and are part of a 12-man shop responsible for keeping vehicles on the flightline operable at all times. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lane T. Plummer)

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Day-to-day with 86th VRS special vehicle maintainers

A wrench lays on the flightline on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 30, 2017. Airmen were tasked with replacing a faulty starter on a Tunner 60K Loader. With a powered conveyor system and a height-adjustable deck, the Tunner Aircraft Cargo Loader gets cargo onto aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lane T. Plummer)

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Day-to-day with 86th VRS special vehicle maintainers

Airman 1st Class Brennan Gregory, 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron special vehicle maintenance journeyman, waits for one of his coworkers to give him a tool on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 30, 2017. As he began to diagnose the issue, Gregory found the layout of the starter and its surrounding parts incredibly difficult to gain access to because the dipstick was in the way of the mounting bolts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lane T. Plummer)

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Day-to-day with 86th VRS special vehicle maintainers

Airman 1st Class Brennan Gregory, 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron special vehicle maintenance journeyman, loosens a bolt to gain access to a faulty starter on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 30, 2017. Gregory and his coworkers worked on the exhaust manifold from above and below the vehicle to free and access the engine starter. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lane T. Plummer)

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Day-to-day with 86th VRS special vehicle maintainers

Airman 1st Class Dakota Staten, 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron special vehicle maintenance journeyman, works on the flightline on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 30, 2017. Both he and Airman 1st Class Brennan Gregory, 86th VRS special vehicle maintenance journeyman, took shifts prying the exhaust manifold from the vehicle to access a faulty engine starter. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lane T. Plummer)

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Day-to-day with 86th VRS special vehicle maintainers

Airman 1st Class Dakota Staten, 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron special vehicle maintenance journeyman, is frustrated as he replaces a faulty starter in a vehicle on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 30, 2017. From 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., these Airmen spend their day doing the greasy work that keeps vehicles ready for any mission. In total, 12 material shop Airmen maintain 102 equipment items. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lane T. Plummer)

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Day-to-day with 86th VRS special vehicle maintainers

Airman 1st Class Briann Eddy, 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron special vehicle maintenance journeyman, pulls himself from under a heavy operating vehicle after helping his coworkers remove a faulty starter on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 30, 2017. From 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., these Airmen spend their day doing the greasy work that keeps vehicles ready for any mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lane T. Plummer)

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Day-to-day with 86th VRS special vehicle maintainers

Airmen 1st Class Brennan Gregory, left, and Dakota Staten, 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron special vehicle maintenance journeymen, communicate with their shop after they removed a vehicle’s stuck exhaust manifold to gain access to a faulty starter on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 30, 2017. From 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., these Airmen spend their day doing the greasy work that keeps vehicles ready for any mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lane T. Plummer)

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Day-to-day with 86th VRS special vehicle maintainers

Airman 1st Class Dakota Staten, 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron special vehicle maintenance journeyman, listens during a shop meeting at the end of the work day on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 30, 2017. Every day, Airmen at the 86th VRS Special Vehicle Maintenance shop convene toward closing time and account for equipment and what was done during the day. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lane T. Plummer)

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Day-to-day with 86th VRS special vehicle maintainers

Airman 1st Class Brennan Gregory, center, 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron special vehicle maintenance journeyman, discusses the day’s work with his coworkers during a shop meeting on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 30, 2017. Gregory says his passion for the job comes from the people he works with. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lane T. Plummer)

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Day-to-day with 86th VRS special vehicle maintainers

Published Feb. 6, 2017
By Senior Airman Lane T. Plummer
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- Airman 1st Class Brennan Gregory, 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron special vehicle maintenance journeyman, washes his hands as he gets ready to return to his shop on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 30, 2017. Different from normal maintainers, special vehicle maintainers work on vehicles that work specifically for flightline operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lane T. Plummer)