Roy Burghardt, 27th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory technician, readies his equipment at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Aug. 8, 2012. The PMEL is a shop comprised of civilian contractors who calibrate base equipment that is used to test, measure or diagnose other systems. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jette Carr)
David Burke, 27th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory technician, enjoys his job as he finishes up orders at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Aug. 8, 2012. The PMEL is a shop comprised of civilian contractors who calibrate base equipment that is used to test, measure or diagnose other systems.(U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Ericka Engblom)
Attenators are ready to be cleaned in the Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Aug. 8, 2012. The PMEL is the shop compromised of civilian contractors who calibrate base equipment that is used to test, measure or diagnose other systems. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Ericka Engblom)
David Burke, 27th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory technician, calibrates a piece of equipment while working in the PMEL shop at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Aug. 8, 2012. The PMEL is the shop compromised of civilian contractors who calibrate base equipment that is used to test, measure or diagnose other systems. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Ericka Engblom)
The Precision Stepattenuator calibrates electrical equipment in the Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Aug. 8, 2012. The PMEL is the shop compromised of civilian contractors who calibrate base equipment that is used to test, measure or diagnose other systems. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Ericka Engblom)
Roy Burghardt, 27th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory technician, readies his equipment at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Aug. 8, 2012. The PMEL is a shop comprised of civilian contractors who calibrate base equipment that is used to test, measure or diagnose other systems. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Ericka Engblom)
A safety board is displayed in the hallway at the 27th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Aug. 8, 2012. The PMEL contractors work with dangerous levels of electricity so they make safety a priority. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jette Carr)
David Burke, 27th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory technician, uses the Spectrum Analyzer to check the frequency, or power level, of an attenuator at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Aug. 8, 2012. The PMEL is a shop comprised of civilian contractors who calibrate base equipment that is used to test, measure or diagnose other systems. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jette Carr)
Roy Burghardt, 27th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory technician, readies his equipment at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Aug. 8, 2012. The PMEL is a shop comprised of civilian contractors who calibrate base equipment that is used to test, measure or diagnose other systems. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jette Carr)
Roy Burghardt, 27th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory technician, readies his equipment at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Aug. 8, 2012. The PMEL is a shop comprised of civilian contractors who calibrate base equipment that is used to test, measure or diagnose other systems. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jette Carr)
David Burke and Roy Burghardt, 27th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory technicians, perform mission essential tasks at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Aug. 8, 2012. The PMEL is a shop comprised of civilian contractors who calibrate base equipment that is used to test, measure or diagnose other systems. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jette Carr)
Roy Burghardt, 27th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory technician, smiles after setting up the connections between two machines at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Aug. 8, 2012. The PMEL is a shop comprised of civilian contractors who calibrate base equipment that is used to test, measure or diagnose other systems. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jette Carr)
David Burke, 27th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory technician, uses a wire to ground himself while checking equipment at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Aug. 8, 2012. The PMEL is the shop compromised of civilian contractors who calibrate base equipment that is used to test, measure or diagnose other systems. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jette Carr)
by Airman 1st Class Ericka Engblom
27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
8/10/2012 - CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Evidence of their work is everywhere - on the flightline, at the vehicle repair shop, the gym and even while loading an aircraft. This group helps maintain up to 20 mission essential priorities a month and touches over 4000 pieces of equipment a year. They support up to 80 different work centers as well as the Melrose Air Force Range, N.M., and allow the mission to continue worldwide.
They are the Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory and they don't mind that most people have never heard of them, in fact, they like it that way.
"We are kind of an out of sight, out of mind shop," said Bob Stein, 27th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron PMEL site manager.
The PMEL is responsible for calibrating everything from torque wrenches to aircraft radar testers and must ensure the tools are always in perfect working order. To learn the skills required for this daunting task, job applicants attend 9 months of technical school and continue on the job training throughout their career.
Stein, who has worked in PMEL for 25 years, said that most of what he knows was learned through on-the-job training. He explained that while what he does hasn't changed all that much, how he does it has changed a great deal.
"A lot of what we do is basic measurements and math," said Stein. "A volt is still a volt, but 25 years ago we were doing only manual calibrations. Now 30 to 40 percent of our calibrations are automated."
The PMEL's ability to efficiently calibrate about 400 equipment pieces a month is imperative to meeting Cannon's flying squadrons deployment needs.
The PMEL allows deployers to complete the difficult task of packing up and moving their operations to a different country while keeping their weapons and support systems functional and trustworthy.
"During deployments we become crucial," said Stein. "We save the base time and money."
One of the best kept secrets at Cannon Air Force Base is PMEL. A shop that few know of, but which remains critical to the success of Cannon's air power as a whole.
