Edwards AFB airmen stitch masks instead of parachutes

Edwards AFB airmen stitch masks instead of parachutes

AIRFORCE BASE WHOSE JOBS REQUIRETHEM TO WORK IN CLOSE QUARTERSWITH OTHER PEOPLE.

THOSE PEOPLENEED FACEMASKS.

BUT THERE ASHORTAGE OF MASKS.

SOME ARE 3DPRINTING MASKS, AND THIS GROUPIS HELPING THE CAUSE IN ANOTHERWAY.THE AIRCREW FLIGHT EQUIPMENTGROUP AT EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASEWOULD TYPICALLY BE CONSTRUCTING,REPAIRING OR INSPECTING LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT FOR THE BASE'SPILOTS.

BUT BECAUSE OF THECORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, INSTEAD OFSTITCHING UP PARACHUTES, THEY'REMAKING FACE-COVERS.EN MASSE."WE STARTED WITH MAYBE 25, ANDTHEN WE DOUBLED THAT, AND THENJUST YESTERDAY WE'RE MAKINGABOUT 133 A DAY." WHEN WE METTHEM, THE AIRMEN WERE FILLING A600-MASK ORDER FOR THE BASE'SMAINTENANCE GROUP, AND WEREGETTING READY TO FILL MOREORDERS.

THE MASKS MOSTLY BEINGMADE OF SALVAGED PARACHUTEMATERIAL AND OTHER COTTON ITEMSLIKE CLOTHES DONATED FROM THEEDWARDS COMMUNITY."THE BASE COMMANDER DIDN'T COMEDOWN AND SAY YOU WILL DO THIS,YOU WILL FIX THIS PROBLEM.INSTEAD WE HAD AIRMEN WITH APASSION, AND A DESIRE TO HELP."AND IT'S NOT JUST THE AIRMENHELPING OUT.

IT'S THEIR SPOUSESTOO.

ALTHOUGH NOT WORKING ON THEBASE, MANY WITHIN THE EDWARDSAIR FORCE BASE SPOUSES NETWORKWERE SOME OF THE FIRST TO STEPUP."THEY HAD ALREADY STARTED KINDAGALVANIZING TOGETHER ANDMAKING MASKS FOR THE BASEPOPULOUS BEFORE WE STARTED THISPROCESS."THE SPOUSES ARE HANDLING SMALLERORDERS WHILE THE 10-PERSON TEAM HANDLES THE BIGONES.

EDWARDS OFFICIALS SAYINGSECRETARY OF DEFENSE MARK ESPERENCOURAGESHOMEMADE MASKS FOR NOW, UNTILMORE SUPPLY BECOMESAVAILABLE.

UNTIL THEN -- THISPRODUCTION LINE AT EDWARDS WILLCONTINUE."WE'RE OPEN TO HELPING OUT ANDWE'RE GOING TO KEEP GOING UNTILWE'VEMET THAT POINT OF EITHERSOMETHING CHANGES FOR THEPOSITIVE, OR WE NOLONGER NEED TO HAVE MASKSHOPEFULLY."THAT WRAPS OUR THREE-PART LOOKAT SOME OF THE EFFORTSEDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE IS TAKINGDURING THIS PANDEMIC.WE'VE SEEN EXAMPLES OF HOWAIRMEN ARE INNOVATINGDURING THESE TRYING TIMES, ANDHOW THEY'RE WORKINGTOGETHER TO PROMOTE HEALTH ANDSAFETY.

ALL THREE PARTS CANBE VIEWED ON FACEBOOK, OR ON OURWEBSITE TURNTO23.COM.

INBAKERSFIELD AUSTIN WESTFALL23ABC CONNECTING YOU.THE SIKH RIDERS OF AMERICA WILLDELIVER THOUSANDS OFMASKS TODAY..

TO VARIOUS LOCALORGANIZATIONS.