Using civilian muscle for military maintenance

To keep 762 support vehicles up and running at Travis Air Force Base in California – everything from fire trucks to heavy-duty cargo loaders – is the duty of some 40 men and women within the 60^th Logistics Readiness Squadron (LRS); personnel who are almost all civilians. And those civilian mechanics – many of whom sport 10 to 15 years of experience maintaining heavy equipment – keep that ground fleet at a 92% “mission capable” rate; far higher than the Air Force standard of 80%. This is their story. (All photos by Staff Sgt. Charles Rivezzo, U.S. Air Force)