In the summer of 1981, Plattsburgh AFB became a temporary home for a mobile aircraft maintenance team from the 2951st Combat Logistics Support Squadron stationed at McClellan AFB, Calif. The depot-level maintenance team was working on the 24 FB-111A assigned to the 380th Bomb Wing. Several safety Timed Compliance Technical Orders must be completed on the aircraft so they could continue to fly under adequate specifications. The 24-person unit had everything from its own commander to supply custodian to welder.

The purpose of the group was to complete several modifications on the FB-111A assigned to the 380th Bomb Wing. They were providing depot-level maintenance in the field. The unit was working on safety TCTOs which must be completed at depot-level. Rather than take all the wing's bombers to McClellan for this maintenance, the special duty team was sent here to do the work. It was being done there because of the number of aircraft and manhours involved with the timed compliance maintenance. The team was removing the old windshield and canopy on the FB-111s and installed bird impact-resistant glass. They were dismantling the aircraft's air conditioning system and modifying the air-to-water heat exchangers with new gaskets and clamps. They were also replacing the bomber's main landing gear trunnions with modified equipment, and making operational checks on the upgraded trunnions. Work began in early July and was expected to be done by Sept. 30. The modifications of the bombers were designed to increase the aircraft safety.

A second team from the 2951st was working on the FB-111A stationed at Pease AFB, NH, working on the same modifications. The team at Pease did not have a welder so they had to send all the heat exchangers to Plattsburgh for modifications work to be done. Most of the people working on these teams were volunteers. They were hand-picked to fill a slot. Most of the workers were very happy with their positions and the work they did. Assignments with the 2951st were "special duty". Applicants were screened and needed to get approval from both losing and gaining commanders. People interested in such an assignment had to be at least airman first class and hold a five-level in their career field. It was a three-year controlled tour.