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To the best, the rest are just pests

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Samuel Taylor
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
They fight the battles history books will not show. They've battled Japanese and Germans, but not on the hills of Iwo Jima or the beaches of Normandy; they fight on the flightline, picnic areas and offices of Dover Air Force Base, Del. They are the scourge of Japanese Beetles, German Cockroaches and other local insects - the pest management shop with the 436th Civil Engineer Squadron.

"We are responsible for animal, pest and vegetation control, as well as 3,497 acres of vegetation and 24 miles of fence line," said Staff Sgt. Matthew Pace, the NCO in charge of pest management with the 436 CES.

Pace is one of six members of the pest management shop. Though their workforce is relatively small, their tasking is significant.

They respond to a variety of calls around base, such as trapping and removing possums from C-5's or using infrared cameras to catch beavers building dams. According to shop members, their work often goes unnoticed until it's needed.

"We spray the site for wing picnics, so while people are there they don't notice anything," said Kenneth Barnes, the shop foreman. "Try having a picnic there when we haven't sprayed; the mosquitoes would make you miserable."

In conjunction with the 436th Airlift Wing Safety Office and the Bird/Wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazard Program, the pest management shop helps prevent wildlife from creating dangerous conditions for aircraft. They also work closely with the 436th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron transient maintenance flight to quarantine outgoing planes of insects, such as Japanese Beetles, so new species are not accidently introduced into ecosystems.

Such accomplishments haven't gone unnoticed by the pest management community. The shop serves as a training center for Air Force members across the country, due to the expertise of the team and the variety of challenges presented at Dover AFB.

Their scientific approach to their job, as well as their use of various traps, chemicals and tools, helps accomplish their mission.

"We are trained to not only indentify animals and insects, but also to recognize where they live, their breeding habits, their diet and the most effective method of prevention," said Staff Sgt. Amber Palmer-Crews, a pest management journeyman with 436 CES.

The war between pest and pest manager isn't likely to end, but Team Dover's pesticidal warriors are dug-in and ready for the next battle.