The first large deployment of civilian employees from Naval Air Depot Cherry Point, N.C., arrived in Iraq March 5 and 6 to support Marine aircraft squadrons in the desert.

Two heavy-lift aircraft ferried 15 civilians and 1 Marine, along with more than 61 tons of equipment, arriving on Iraqi soil under the cover of darkness late Saturday and early Sunday. The employees will set up an integrated maintenance detachment to perform depot-level repair work on Marine H-46 and H-53 helicopters. Members of the initial all-volunteer group are scheduled to spend up to 179 days in the Middle East, with replacements and supplemental teams sent over as needed until the mission is no longer required by the Marine Corps.

Prior to this deployment, an average of four to six NADEP artisans were in Iraq at any given time, with more portable equipment, says Randy Gay, the depot’s sustainment project coordinator for Operation Iraqi Freedom. This larger group is armed with heavy-duty equipment that will allow much more in-depth maintenance designed to help the Marines keep their aircraft flying longer between repair visits here in the United States. Depot artisans will link with local contract teams provided by the aircraft manufacturers.

The detachment’s primary mission will include battle-damage repair and basic in-service repair, including repair of the aircraft’s surface skin, thorough clean up and thorough airframe corrosion repair. “They will add a very good service to the fleet,” says Maj. Allen L. Gilbert, the depot’s H-46 Programs officer. “These are artisans with multiple trades who can take care of many things while they are there working as a team with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.”

Although the mission is not without risk, the detachment will be located on a “very secure” airbase in Iraq, says Gilbert. Detachment members have been trained to respect the cultural differences in the country where they will be guests for the next six months, as well as how to protect themselves with gas mask training and anti-terrorism awareness training.

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