NOVEMBER 26, 2025 – Behind every successful takeoff and landing at Tyndall lies the runway, and the 325th Operations Support Squadron airfield management team is responsible for it, keeping flight operations safe and efficient.
From opening the runway at 5 a.m. and conducting daily airfield inspections, to managing and training all airfield drivers, the unit works behind the scenes to guarantee every aircraft can operate safely.
“Without an airfield, our base would be a fort,” said Senior Airman Bryant Elkins, 325th OSS airfield management shift lead. “The airfield is what makes it an Air Force base, and it’s the main mission we support.”
Airfield management specialists perform mission-critical tasks, including daily inspections of the runway and taxiways, managing the airfield driving program and coordinating with various agencies like weather, security forces and the air traffic control tower. The team also works closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to mitigate wildlife hazards on the airfield.
“We have power over the airfield for the first hour of the day, so anything out there is coordinated by us,” Elkins explained. “We check it, make sure it’s correct during our daily inspection, and then let tower know all the info that has changed or hasn’t changed.”
Their duties prove even more critical during exercises like Checkered Flag. These exercises significantly increase the pace of operations, requiring the team to be adaptable and responsive to a dynamic environment. Staff Sgt. Jamison Rand, 325th Operations Support Squadron airfield management noncommissioned officer in charge of operations, emphasized the importance of strict adherence to regulations and procedures.
“If something goes wrong on the airfield, we’re the ones that first to get looked at,” he stated. “Did you do your job and do your part to make sure that everything was safe before this happened? One mistake, you can stop the whole mission, they’re going to have to divert somewhere else… that’s thousands and thousands of dollars of missions… millions of dollars.”
The airfield management team’s constant vigilance, stringent procedures and commitment to safety directly impact the 325th Fighter Wing’s mission to provide unrivaled air combat power for America.
“Our job has a lot of dignity to it,” Elkins concluded. “It’s as close as you can get to the main event of an airfield or an Air Force base, so I absolutely love it.”
Story by Senior Airman Zeeshan Naeem
325th Fighter Wing