Total force integration mentality saves Airmen, mission Published Sept. 28, 2010 By Senior Airman Gustavo Gonzalez 15th Wing Public Affairs JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR HICKAM, Hawaii -- A fuel leak from a battle scared humvee on a C-17 Globemaster III could have spelled disaster for the Air Force and the Marines alike - if not for the actions of two crew chiefs. Staff Sgt. Jesse Arnold, 15th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, and Staff Sgt. Harlasun Kang, 154th Maintenance Squadron, were flying from Bastion Airfield, Afghanistan, to Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, with cargo which included 22 Marine passengers when diesel fuel from the damaged vehicle started spilling into the cargo bay of the aircraft, filling the air full of fumes. "We uploaded our cargo at Bastion, which included a palletized HMMVW with battle damage," said Capt. Eric Wietlisbach, 535th Airlift Squadron pilot. "After departure from Bastion airfield heading north to Manas, the damaged HMMVW began leaking a large quantity of fuel which caused fuel fumes to fill the aircraft." Sergeants Arnold and Kang noticed the fuel spill when a foul odor filled the inside of the C-130. When the mechanics found the gushing leak flowing from the vehicle, the aircraft mechanics found a solution that would make even MacGyver proud. "We saw a puddle of fuel coming from the HMMVW so we started to grab passenger blankets and put them under it," Sergeant Kang said. "Then we clamped the hose shut to stop it from leaking. Later, another hose began to leak and I got the idea to plug it with earplugs because they can conform to any shape" The idea to use earplugs came from a similar idea Sergeant Kang used to plug an appliance leak at home. According to Sergeant Kang, approximately ten gallons of fuel spilled out of the vehicle - a potentially dangerous amount. "It was essentially a matter of life or death. If the fuel had caught fire or anything else happened to it, the whole plane could have gone down." According to Captain Wietlisbach, once on the ground at Manas, medical personnel checked all crew members and the passengers for effects of fuel fumes with no negative effects being reported. Upon further investigation, the discovered fuel lines were disconnected on the damaged HMMVW and there was more than the five liters of diesel fuel in the vehicle's fuel system. "Without [Sergeant Arnold's and Sergeant Kang's] quick thinking and professionalism as a flying crew chiefs, the crew would have been forced to descend back into the weapons engagement zone in Afghanistan, make an emergency landing in theater and unnecessarily risk the lives of the crew and the 22 U.S. Marines onboard," Captain Wietlisbach said. After arriving in Manas, Sergeants Arnold and Kang cleaned most of the fuel up themselves ensuring a minimal delay in the arrival of the cargo and the redeployment of the 1st Marine Special Force Battalion, B Company from Camp Pendleton, Calif. Sergeant Kang said that working alongside active duty Airmen helped him get better acquainted and ultimately helped him effectively respond to a potentially critical situation. "These two are prime examples of our active duty and guard Airmen working together to execute the mission," said Col. Sam Barrett, 15th Wing commander. "Their ingenuity, flexibility and immediate reaction to the situation ensured the safety of the passengers and crew and a $210 million aircraft."