TFI team works seamlessly during Guam deployment

WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. - It's been more than three months since Missouri Air National Guard's 131st Bomb Wing here deployed with active duty Airmen from the 509th Bomb Wing to support B-2's continuous presence in the Pacific.

This deployment is only the second time the Air Guard has deployed with the 509th Bomb Wing since the 131st Bomb Wing became a classic associate unit.

Chief Master Sgt. Mark D. Funk, 131st Maintenance Group aircraft maintenance unit chief, said the deployment to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, was seamless as the units teamed up to maintain, launch and recover the four Whiteman B-2 bombers.

"Over the past few months, I have seen both 131st and 509th Airmen put a lot of time into meeting our operational commitments," Chief Funk said. "When I have asked someone to do a task, such as staying late to fix a bomber, washing a bomber or cleaning up the hangar, both active duty and Guard Airmen have jumped in and work together to get the task done."

One of the main focuses while on the deployment was to conduct long-duration exercises with the B-2.

Chief Funk said 21 Air National Guard maintainers and operators helped support a force of more than 500 people on the island. The Guard maintainers worked in almost every aspect of the maintenance group to include crew chiefs, weapons, munitions, hydraulics, low observable, fuel systems, aerospace ground equipment, maintenance control and engine maintenance.

For two weeks, toward the end of their deployment, the Airmen worked around-the-clock to repair the bombers and get them airborne for six long-duration missions. The following week, they accomplished an hourly post-flight inspection on a B-2.

The deployment was just a portion of the mission aimed towards achieving total force integration within the Air Force.