Every Day is a Snow Day in Antarctica

Staff Sgt Michael Warn

February 10, 2010 - Ever wondered what it’s like to live in Antarctica? Over the next week, we’ll feature first-hand accounts from servicemembers working on OPERATION: DEEP FREEZE, the Defense Department’s support of National Science Foundation research in Antarctica. Special thanks to Air Force Lt. Col. Edward Vaughan (Podcast #35) for putting this series together. First up is Staff Sgt. Michael Warn…

His desire to be a part of the Air National Guard stems from his upbringing in an Air National Guard family. His father was a career member of the same wing. Sgt. Warn has always had an interest in the principles of electronics and electrical theory and centered his career around this field.

Q: What is your job, and what unit are deployed from?

A: My job is an aircraft electrical/environmental specialist. I deal with the electrical systems, and the heating and cooling of aircraft pressurization and oxygen systems. I’m deployed with the 109th Maintenance Squadron.

Q: How does the extreme environment impact your job?

A: The extreme environment impacts my job in many ways. For example, the cold weather does not allow me to be able to run some test equipment. Also, it affects the amount of time I have to work on a job, also called the work-rest cycle. It can be a nice sunny day around 20-30 degrees Fahrenheit, but then the wind picks up and it will drop the temperature down to the negatives in a matter of minutes. This affects the amount of clothing I have to wear to do my job.

Q: What is your favorite part about being in Antarctica?

A: My favorite part of being in Antarctica is the natural scenery – for example, the tip of Mt.Erebus, which is an active volcano and, yes, it does blow smoke. The mountain range to the sea is just a very majestic view.

Q: What are some of the unique challenges of living and working in Antarctica that most people wouldn’t think about?

A: Some of the unique challenges in living in Antarctica are that it is day light 24 hours a day, 7 days a week when we are down here. This plays havoc on your sleep cycle. Also, when we are down here it is the summer months, and it is comparable to an east coast winter. It is one of the driest places on earth. You can dehydrate yourself pretty quickly if you are not careful.

One of the other challenges is that we don’t have a hangar to put the aircraft in if we need to do any major maintenance, like an engine change or a ski removal. We are always outside fixing the aircraft. Also, where we land is not your typical runway. We land our planes on compact snow and ice. That’s right – we basically land on a frozen ocean.

Q: Any advice for those east coast U.S. people currently experiencing the “Snowpocalypse”?

A: My advice for the people on the east coast is to take a break when you need to. Drink plenty of water. Try to stay dry and dress in layers. Get a good snow blower – I know I did!