Jerry Foltz
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – Inside the 78th Logistics Readiness Squadron’s Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, a group of dedicated technicians ensure the accuracy and reliability of all test, measurement and diagnostic equipment through calibration, repair and modification.
From torque wrenches and micrometers, calipers to optics, radio frequencies, light intensity and even minuscule weight variations – all are measured, calibrated, repaired and certified within its walls.
PMEL’s mission is to ‘calibrate and repair measurements and diagnostic equipment to provide customers with reliable, safe and accurate equipment that meets and exceeds expectations.’
“In here, we measure the unseen,” said John Donovan, 78th LRS PMEL lab manager. “We support the logistics complex, so we have a huge avionics workload. This includes everything from frequency and power to spectrum analyzers and watt meters.”
The work is complex, relying on skilled technicians and a meticulous attention to detail, ensuring PMEL technicians confirm Air Force systems and equipment are accurate, uniform, reliable and traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology through their calibrations.
The lab itself is divided into specialized sections, including Direct Current/Electrical Standards Section, Frequency/Radio Frequency Section, Temperature/Humidity, and Physical Dimensional Test equipment to handle diverse equipment. The C lab focuses on sound and noise measurements.
“We do noise dosimeters and sound level meters,” Donovan said, noting the lab's critical role in the installation’s hearing conservation programs. “Bio-environmental will utilize us to test work areas for loud noise. If it exceeds a certain level, you need hearing protection.”
The work is incredibly diverse, requiring a wide range of skills.
"We're going from mass weights and force measurements to liquid flow and sonic low air flow," Donovan said. “We even have a little wind tunnel here that we measure anemometers on."
When conducting calibrations, standards are everything in PMEL.
The lab adheres to Air Force metrology standards, noting that they are closely related to nationally and internationally scientific accepted measurement standards, like the International Organization for Standardization.
B lab handles electronic standards, calibrating the equipment used to test customers' equipment.
“We calibrate our own standards to calibrate our customer’s equipment, and then some test equipment has to go off to a higher echelon lab, like the Air Force Primary Standards Laboratory, in Heath, Ohio,” said Donovan.
There's also a strong emphasis on internalized control checks and quality assurance at key steps through the calibration process.
"In the past, we looked primarily at a lot of end of the line checks. Now we’ve evolved to a very processed QA focus," Donovan said. “Are the technicians technically able? Can they follow a defined process? That’s what we focus on internally more so than at the end of line."
PMEL's dedication to accuracy extends to environmental controls as well. To ensure precision calibrations for metals, a special room called the ‘Cold Room’ is environmentally controlled.
“Regardless of the outside temperature, we keep this room consistently at 68 degrees, plus or minus one degree, in order to make more precise length measurements and not worry about expansive or contractive forces that may throw off our measurements," Donovan said.
PMEL takes collaboration to the extreme with measuring standards down to one millionth of an inch. One such piece is a mass comparator, testing equipment so sensitive, it can measure the weight and thickness of ink from a signature on a piece of paper.
"If you were to measure a piece of paper and then write your name on it, it would actually measure the ink," Donovan said. "It's got a draft shield, which tells you the difference between a really accurate balance versus one that is less accurate."
PMEL applies a degree of precision so infinitesimal that is not always noticed by the users.
“We apply nth degree of science to all of our measurements. The user sometimes sends equipment in here and we tell them, 'Hey, this thing's failing, it won't pass,'" Donovan said. “They usually look confused, and say, 'Well, it worked fine when we used it.’ That’s because they're not seeing it or not inspecting it down to the level that we see.”
That's when PMEL's role expands beyond just calibration.
"We do a lot of repairs as well," Donovan said. "Our goal is to return it fully certified."
By calibrating and repairing equipment to the most exacting standards, PMEL ensures that every tool and instrument used across the base operates with unparalleled accuracy. From safeguarding the integrity of avionics systems to supporting environmental and safety programs, the lab's meticulous work underpins the success of countless operations.
In a field where even the smallest deviation can have significant consequences, PMEL's dedication to measuring the unseen reinforces its critical role in maintaining the Air Force's operational excellence.
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – Gary Carrion, 78th Logistics Readiness Squadron Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory senior technician, conducts a water draw to test the current viscosity of fluid being pumped through a flow piston at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, Sept. 4, 2025. The data was then analyzed to determine flow rates, temperatures and pressure to certify the piston as an internal standard for comparison for other aircraft and maintenance hydraulic and coolant systems. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jerry Foltz) 
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – Robert DeMille, 78th Logistics Readiness Squadron Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory senior technician, conducts calibration on aircraft radio systems at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, Sept. 4, 2025. The system was calibrated against a shop standard, using an 8930B audio analyzer to check audio quality, signal-to-noise ratios and other parameters to ensure clear and reliable communications. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jerry Foltz) 
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – Wesley Averette, 78th Logistics Readiness Squadron Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory senior technician, injects varying decibel levels into a noise dosimeter at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, Sept. 4, 2025. In addition to software analysis, Averette used a separate acoustic calibrator before and after each measurement to ensure the microphone and device were functioning properly and accurately while recording sound levels. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jerry Foltz) 
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – Robert DeMille, 78th Logistics Readiness Squadron Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory senior technician, conducts calibration on aircraft radio systems at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, Sept. 4, 2025. In addition to calibrating the noise filters, DeMille checked the system using an 8930B audio analyzer for amplitude, frequency, sensitivity of frequency, AC/DC volt levels, signal-to-noise ratio and residual distortion. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jerry Foltz) 
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – Matt Stork, 78th Logistics Readiness Squadron Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory senior technician, uses a dead weight tester to calibrate aircraft cable tension strength at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, Sept. 4, 2025. Stork verified that the cables were within the specified tension range, preventing potential issues like slack or overstressed cables, ultimately reducing the risk of in-flight failures. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jerry Foltz)