Geo-Base lays groundwork for every organization on base

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Christopher L. Ingersoll
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  Although not well known, Geo-Base technicians survey grounds and make maps that are used by virtually every organization on the base.

"We make maps of just about everything," said Staff Sgt. Herrington 100th Civil Engineer Squadron Geo-Base noncommissioned officer in charge. "Every building on the base has a floor plan; we map all of the utilities, the roads and topography, and then create an interactive map for our customers."

Geo-Base technicians also use their surveying skills in a myriad of other ways.

"Here on a refueling base one of our duties is to check to see if the landing gear on our aircraft is level after a hard landing," said Senior Airman Timothy Mills, a Geo-Base technician. "If the landing gear isn't level, then it's a safety issue and the plane has to be checked by the maintainers."

"We also map all of the underground utilities, so if the plumbers need to see where pipes run in relation to a certain building, they can use our maps," added Sergeant Herrington.

Surveying and making digital maps sounds like a lot of work but for Geo-Base it is only phase one. Once the data has been collected and made into a digital map, Tobi Sellekaerts integrates it into a secure Web site with various applications.

"We try to make the maps interactive," said Mrs. Sellekaerts. "That way, when someone goes into a map they can find a building, click on it, and get a floor plan as well as other information."

"We also have a huge plotter that gives us the capability to print huge maps of the base or whatever portion of the base that is pertinent to that particular shop," Adrian Coughlan added.

Those skills become even more important down range when Geo-Base technicians become part of a ground team that is among the first in to set up bare bones bases.

"When we deploy early on in a conflict, we will fly into a hostile area with a team of essential personnel and survey the grounds so a runway can be built," said Sergeant Herrington. "Then we stay and start surveying grounds for all other facilities and utilities."

Geo-Base may be a small, not well-known career field, but the impact they leave on the mission both at home and abroad is substantial.