USS BONHOMME RICHARD, At Sea -- Standing out amidst the sea of blue, brown and green flight suits on a flight line may be a challenging task, but Cpl. James J. Job has mastered the art.
At 27 years old, Job, a CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopter mechanic with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463’s flight line division, is older than most of his peers. He’s humble and mature, bearing a quiet yet overt confidence built on solid work ethic and determination.
“Every time you walk onto the flight deck, I guarantee you’re going to see Job getting the job done,” said Staff Sgt. James Crimmins, aviation life support systems chief, HMH-463.
During HMH-463’s deployment with Marine Aviation Group 40 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from August 2009 to March 2010, Job was the only plane captain in his section, performing daily and turn-around inspections on the squadron’s helicopters as a lance corporal.
Crimmins said Job’s skills were an enormous asset to the squadron on the deployment. Despite being new to his unit, Job personally signed off on 137 daily inspections. The inspections involved conducting a complete overlook of the plane’s major components and integrity, and typically took between two and four hours, Job said.
While partially contributing Job’s work ethic and perspective to his age, Crimmins, a native of Sullivan, Mo., said the mechanic brought maturity to the plate from the outset.
“Job’s like a fire and forget weapon,” Crimmins said. “You tell him to do something and you don’t have to worry about it not getting done. He’s one of the most professional and sincere Marines I’ve ever worked with.”
Growing up in sunny Anaheim, Calif., Job lived and breathed aircraft and the military. As a child, this fascination drove him to go hiking, collect military items, build model airplanes and relinquish quarter after quarter to a local arcade’s flight simulators.
By serving as a Marine, Job extends a family history of military service. His grandfather served overseas in the U.S. Army during World War II while his father was drafted and served two years as a Marine combat engineer during the Vietnam era.
As Job and his siblings grew up, his father maintained the values he learned during his time in service, always taking care of his family and maintaining a hard work ethic. To the day, Job said his father affectionately remembers being “out the gate in ’68.”
“I’ve always been fascinated with aircraft,” Job said. “I always knew that if I’d join the military, it’d have to be in aviation. Since my Dad was a Marine and I looked up to him a lot, I felt closer to the Marine Corps than the other services.”
In his late teens and early 20s, Job spent two years attending Fullerton Junior College in Fullerton, Calif. When an opportunity arose for full-time employment with a pharmaceutical company in Colorado, he packed his bags and moved eastward.
After two years there, Job resumed online classes at the University of Phoenix and began working two part-time jobs. But this wasn’t enough. “All these things were going on, but nothing was guaranteed,” he said.
As a 25-year-old with some life experience under his belt, he quit smoking, refigured his priorities and enlisted in the Marine Corps.
After completing recruit and combat training and his occupational specialty schools, Job was assigned to HMH-463. From the day he arrived in Hawaii onward, he’s progressed.
“Job made an immediate impact after checking into the squadron,” said Capt. Anthony R. D’Amico, pilot training officer, HMH-463, “and he’s continued the challenging plane captain syllabus at an aggressive pace. Everyone in the squadron knows about him based on his work ethic.”
While performing a preflight inspection on a helicopter during his deployment one day, Job was discussing career plans with the squadron executive officer when he had a self-described “moment of clarity.”
Further motivated by an analogy the officer used, Job decided to re-apply for the Marine Corps Enlisted Commissioning Program. “He was able to sum up what I had been thinking for a long time but couldn’t put into words,” Job said.
Per a revised Marine Corps Order for fiscal year 2012, however, he’ll need to wait to earn a promotion to sergeant before re-submitting the MECEP package.
For the time being, having found his niche within the aviation side of the Corps, Job said he’d continue to focus on learning the mechanical side of his job and furthering his capabilities through the collateral duty inspector program.
The modest mechanic was quick to contribute his drive and work ethic to the example his parents set and the discipline instilled by the Corps. “If I hadn’t joined the Marine Corps I don’t think I’d have the confidence to push myself like I’ve been able to,” Job said.
Spending seven months away from his wife and the structure of regular life during the deployment challenged his character, Job said, but it made him stronger. While deployed, Job was one of few among his fellow MAG 40 peers to earn a meritorious promotion to corporal in December 2009.
“Deploying to Afghanistan really opened my eyes to what’s important in life,” Job said. “I missed the ability to do the simple things and the peace of mind those things bring.”
Adding the deployment as another tool for his toolbox, Job is set to continue making waves among his peers and leaders.
“Job doesn’t complain and not many Marines question him,” Crimmins said. “He possesses the maturity of a solid leader and will make a lot of strides in the service.”