1 00:00:07,966 --> 00:00:10,881 - Our mission here is to support the 82nd Airborne Division 2 00:00:10,881 --> 00:00:13,291 by providing T-11 Mains and T-11 Reserves. 3 00:00:13,291 --> 00:00:16,183 If we don't pack T-11 Mains and T-11 Reserves, 4 00:00:16,183 --> 00:00:18,933 Division mission is not complete. 5 00:00:19,328 --> 00:00:20,761 - Here in the parachute issue facility 6 00:00:20,761 --> 00:00:22,355 we conduct the final inspection 7 00:00:22,355 --> 00:00:24,596 before issuing out to the jumpers, 8 00:00:24,596 --> 00:00:27,339 we issue the parachutes and we also collect them, 9 00:00:27,339 --> 00:00:31,001 shake them out and make sure they're good to be repacked. 10 00:00:31,001 --> 00:00:32,805 - What's important about this mission is 11 00:00:32,805 --> 00:00:34,955 we pack parachutes to maintain the GRF, 12 00:00:34,955 --> 00:00:36,347 the Global Response Force. 13 00:00:36,347 --> 00:00:38,856 So at any moments notice any one of these parachutes 14 00:00:38,856 --> 00:00:41,076 could be on a jumpers back going towards a deployment 15 00:00:41,076 --> 00:00:42,896 anywhere in the world. 16 00:00:42,896 --> 00:00:44,940 - The MOS is the 92 Romeo. 17 00:00:44,940 --> 00:00:47,036 One thing these guys love about what they do 18 00:00:47,036 --> 00:00:49,014 is they're constantly motivated. 19 00:00:49,014 --> 00:00:51,181 Eyes is always looking at them, 20 00:00:51,181 --> 00:00:53,037 everybody knowing what they're doing. 21 00:00:53,037 --> 00:00:55,233 If they're not here the 82nd Airborne Division 22 00:00:55,233 --> 00:00:57,650 is not the Airborne Division. 23 00:00:57,694 --> 00:01:00,039 - [Male Speaker] It's important because on a daily basis 24 00:01:00,039 --> 00:01:02,210 we produce anywhere from 7,000 parachutes, 25 00:01:02,210 --> 00:01:04,854 so to pack those parachutes we need items, 26 00:01:04,854 --> 00:01:06,395 expendables and so forth to make sure 27 00:01:06,395 --> 00:01:08,978 that the parachutes are packed. 28 00:01:09,015 --> 00:01:11,989 - So parachutes are one of the most complex, 29 00:01:11,989 --> 00:01:14,962 and challenging products that DLA purchases. 30 00:01:14,962 --> 00:01:17,241 They're very long lead times, 31 00:01:17,241 --> 00:01:19,129 every erratic command patterns, 32 00:01:19,129 --> 00:01:21,600 and very extensive testing that are involved 33 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:22,850 with parachutes 34 00:01:23,941 --> 00:01:25,755 - So one of the issues that we're having 35 00:01:25,755 --> 00:01:28,418 is the connector lengths on the T-11 parachutes. 36 00:01:28,418 --> 00:01:30,215 The connector lengths connects the risers 37 00:01:30,215 --> 00:01:31,358 to the suspension lines, 38 00:01:31,358 --> 00:01:34,228 and what that does, it holds those two components together. 39 00:01:34,228 --> 00:01:35,991 - That's so essential because once they 40 00:01:35,991 --> 00:01:38,630 have to tighten this gauge right here, 41 00:01:38,630 --> 00:01:40,555 it gets tightened up after the jump is done, 42 00:01:40,555 --> 00:01:43,481 as soon as they take this gauge off, it's not reusable. 43 00:01:43,481 --> 00:01:45,150 - Currently we have over 2,000 parachutes 44 00:01:45,150 --> 00:01:46,402 that are missing connector lengths. 45 00:01:46,402 --> 00:01:48,078 So that's 4 connector lengths per parachute 46 00:01:48,078 --> 00:01:50,668 so we had to back order a lot connector lengths 47 00:01:50,668 --> 00:01:53,864 so as ran into the issue DLA had to rapidly 48 00:01:53,864 --> 00:01:56,602 turn requests to get us new connector lengths 49 00:01:56,602 --> 00:01:59,084 and get their factory to start to make connector lengths 50 00:01:59,084 --> 00:02:00,865 because they weren't making it before. 51 00:02:00,865 --> 00:02:02,333 - We're in Asheville, North Carolina, 52 00:02:02,333 --> 00:02:05,111 and we're a prime defense contractor to the US Military 53 00:02:05,111 --> 00:02:08,299 manufacturing parachutes and all related 54 00:02:08,299 --> 00:02:10,161 equipment and components. 55 00:02:10,161 --> 00:02:11,698 The challenges of the work is that it's 56 00:02:11,698 --> 00:02:13,307 very, very labor intensive, 57 00:02:13,307 --> 00:02:16,634 and our products are lifesaving pieces of equipment, 58 00:02:16,634 --> 00:02:19,751 so the level of quality that's involved 59 00:02:19,751 --> 00:02:22,100 and the technical aspect that's involved 60 00:02:22,100 --> 00:02:23,767 is very challenging. 61 00:02:24,508 --> 00:02:26,327 - Being a contract manufacturer 62 00:02:26,327 --> 00:02:29,386 we do not order any materials or anything 63 00:02:29,386 --> 00:02:32,961 needed to make a product until we have a contract 64 00:02:32,961 --> 00:02:34,378 for that product. 65 00:02:35,794 --> 00:02:37,980 - The aircraft personnel at DLA, 66 00:02:37,980 --> 00:02:40,063 they work pretty rapidly to help us acquire 67 00:02:40,063 --> 00:02:44,230 what items we need in order to facilitate our mission. 68 00:02:44,452 --> 00:02:46,691 They're currently looking at different solutions 69 00:02:46,691 --> 00:02:48,635 to make those connector lengths reusable, 70 00:02:48,635 --> 00:02:50,140 which will help us in the ordering process 71 00:02:50,140 --> 00:02:51,577 so that we don't have to order 72 00:02:51,577 --> 00:02:53,988 more connector lengths in a rapid fashion. 73 00:02:53,988 --> 00:02:56,837 What great about this MOS is that you're responsible 74 00:02:56,837 --> 00:02:59,266 for the GRF, the Global Response Force. 75 00:02:59,266 --> 00:03:01,945 Another part is the trust that you get from a paratrooper. 76 00:03:01,945 --> 00:03:03,834 You are responsible for their lives 77 00:03:03,834 --> 00:03:05,762 very time they exit the aircraft. 78 00:03:05,762 --> 00:03:07,326 So every piece of equipment that you touch 79 00:03:07,326 --> 00:03:09,227 has someone's life attached to it. 80 00:03:09,227 --> 00:03:10,845 So you gotta be on your A game 81 00:03:10,845 --> 00:03:12,303 every single day that you come to work. 82 00:03:12,303 --> 00:03:13,970 There's no off days.