Air Advisors deliver Aircraft Maintenance Leadership and Quality Assurance course to Peruvian Air Force

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – A team of three Air Advisors from the 571st Mobility Support Advisory Squadron and one member from Air Forces Southern conducted training with the Peruvian Air Force at Callao Air Base and Las Palmas Air Base in Lima, Peru from Sept. 1-20, 2019.

The focus of the mission was to Build Partner Capacity in the area of aircraft maintenance and quality assurance. The courses focused on the leadership principles required to properly maintain a fleet of mission capable aircraft. A total of 41 students received the training.

The courses were conducted over a two-week period at several air bases in Lima. The target audience of the training included key leaders, both enlisted and officer.

“It was important to provide instruction to this target group in order to plant the seeds for future advancements within the Peruvian Air Force aircraft maintenance program,” said Tech. Sgt. Carlos Martinez, 571st MSAS air advisor.  “Having the maintenance enlisted personnel and officers in the same course was a great opportunity to communicate and understand what is actually happening inside the unit.”

On this mission, the MSAS worked closely with AFSOUTH to ensure the instructors were able to bring the expertise required for the mission.

“What a fantastic experience and rewarding mission working with the Peruvian Air Force and the 571st MSAS,” said Maj. Lou Cumming, AFSOUTH maintenance officer. “The 571st MSAS and AFSOUTH partnership was strengthened when our team came together to accomplish this very important mission.

“In the words of Hellen Keller: ‘Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.’ That is exactly what transpired – we came together as a team and knocked it out of the park,” said Cummings.

The 571st MSAS is a language enabled squadron that advise and assist Latin American and Caribbean partners to enhance their airpower capabilities as part of the U.S. Air Force’s and Air Mobility Command’s enduring BPC mission. Each successive engagement supports Peru’s foundation of freedom, stability, and prosperity in the region, and contributes to the United States Southern Command’s strategic objectives and effects within the joint area of responsibility.