A Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory (PMEL) is a United States Air Force facility in which the calibration and repair of test equipment takes place. This practice is also known as metrology: the science of measurement. The Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) of airmen trained to work in the PMEL is 2P0X1 replacing 324x1 where "X" represents a variable number which denotes the level of expertise of the individual. There are also defense contractors and government civilians who perform this job.
There is a term used among PMEL technicians called "Going PMEL" synonymous with "Going postal". This term refers to a tendency for people working in the PMEL to become mentally unstable due to the monotony of the work. The most noted example of this phenomenon is that of Dean Mellberg. Mellberg fired upon the medical facility on Fairchild Air Force Base killing four people before being shot and killed by an Air Force Security Forces Member.
Creepy... :evil:
Quote from: Old-Navy on 08-03-2006 -- 13:14:44
There is a term used among PMEL technicians called "Going PMEL" synonymous with "Going postal". This term refers to a tendency for people working in the PMEL to become mentally unstable due to the monotony of the work. The most noted example of this phenomenon is that of Dean Mellberg. Mellberg fired upon the medical facility on Fairchild Air Force Base killing four people before being shot and killed by an Air Force Security Forces Member.
Now that's just BS. That guy was off to begin with. He just happened to work in PMEL...
I agree he was off to begin with. I was on "C" shift at Lowry with that a-hole. I have heard PMEL folks use that term.
Well, since you were there, maybe you know Andy Densmore. He almost ended up in a room with that guy but got out of after he heared that this guys previous roommate got moved because Dean threatened to set him on fire. Hell, there were stories about this guy when I went through tech school at Keesler. Yeah, he was already screwed up and like it was said, just happened to work in PMEL. Profiling!
:roll:
I didn't know Andy, but I did know the previous roommate. I have many stories, none of them good. Total loser that the system should have weeded out at recruiting.
For firearm incidents per capita, I think PMEL must be at the very, very low end of the scale. Postal workers, on the other hand...
Mail is monotonous; cal lab work never is, except when there are a few hundred torque wrenches to bang out...
I worked with a guy that gave Dean Mellberg a letter of counseling 1 day before the shooting. I was told that Dean was a nut case to begin with. The guy I worked with was Nate Wilson and he was made to go through Phsyco by the AF because Nate was on the "Dean's List". Nate told me that Dean was shot in the head by a SP while trying to go into Nate's base housing area.
The beauty of (or is it the problem with) wikipedia is that anybody can make changes...
The stress is not from the monotous work. It's from the stress of getting to work out the door. You have one guy go shooting people and now we are known for being crazy. I will admit that I am high strung, but I was that way before I started working in PMEL. I am not the only one in PMEL that's high strung, but I don't know anyone that would shoot up a bunch of people over it. Can we change this? I don't know how to go into that website to correct it.
look it up @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precision_Measurement_Equipment_Laboratory
although, it seems that someone with an IP address of 131.1.207.21 (oddly enough, someone also posts in this forum from that address) wants that statement in there...
I was at Cannon right after he was discharged from there....heard all the stories...our squadron commander was also on "the List"....there was a few SPs assigned to her for a while...he was shot by an SP as he was outside a base legal office taking shoys of people walking out the doors....the SP that shot him was on a bike...got the call, rode over, pulled out HER 9mm and put 3 rounds center body mass at 90yds....that is the tale we got from the Squadron Commander after it happened....everyone there was scared of him....
Quote from: Powerslave on 08-07-2006 -- 14:49:57
I was at Cannon right after he was discharged from there....heard all the stories...our squadron commander was also on "the List"....there was a few SPs assigned to her for a while...he was shot by an SP as he was outside a base legal office taking shoys of people walking out the doors....the SP that shot him was on a bike...got the call, rode over, pulled out HER 9mm and put 3 rounds center body mass at 90yds....that is the tale we got from the Squadron Commander after it happened....everyone there was scared of him....
Who? Dean or Wilson?
Dean Mellberg.
I know, I was just joking. :-D
R u f'n serious? :?
Yes they are Marine
The shooting incident was real. It was not because he was PMEL though...
It was becuase he was crazy. One crazy PMEL guy goes postal and now we are all dangerous? Who is that IP address. It sounds like something Flamy78 would do. :|
Not Flamy.. it was me. And I won't put it back in there. If it happens again, it wasn't me! :evil:
Quote from: Powerslave on 08-07-2006 -- 14:49:57
I was at Cannon right after he was discharged from there....heard all the stories...our squadron commander was also on "the List"....there was a few SPs assigned to her for a while...he was shot by an SP as he was outside a base legal office taking shoys of people walking out the doors....the SP that shot him was on a bike...got the call, rode over, pulled out HER 9mm and put 3 rounds center body mass at 90yds....that is the tale we got from the Squadron Commander after it happened....everyone there was scared of him....
Need to put a bit in here:
1. Dean was at Fairchild (as far as I can tell) primarily to kill two people: my brother, Capt Alan London, the psychologist who had him taken to Wilford Hall in restraints, and Maj Tom Brigham, the psychiatrist who endorsed the action. About a month before Alan was killed I remember him mentioning an airman who was being put out of the AF and that he and Tom were going to need to buy flak vests.
2. I spoke the provost marshall a week after the shootings and he confirmed that Sgt Andrew Brown (HER 9mm indeed!) was on bicycle patrol in the housing area and was first to respond to a 911 call at the base hospital. He saw Mellberg who had just completed one pass through the Psych annex and the hospital itself (where he had shot, I think, 27 people) and who was either reloading or clearing a jam in his weapon. Sgt Brown dismounted, commanded Mellberg to drop his weapon and, when Mellberg began to raise his weapon to fire at Brown, the AP fired 4 rounds from his 9mm pistol at about 80 yds range, hitting Mellberg twice in the face.
3. As for Mellberg going PMEL, during his psych eval at Wilford hall, he was diagnosed with a whole series of mental disorders which were changed over and over again due to the interference of Mellberg's mother and congressman. The net result of which was the discharge of Mellberg for disciplary reasons. I was particularly upset by this as it was Alan and Tom's intention that he be hospitalised. It was their considered opinion that he was dangerous and that, should he be discharged from the Air Force administratively, he would rapidly decompensate -- which indeed proved to be the case. Incidentally, the USAF was ordered by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to pay $19 million in damages to the survivors and families of the deceased victims. We never got any of it. As both Alan's widow, Kathy and I were in active service at the time we were precluded by law to participate in the lawsuit.
Just thought I would set the record straight.
I'm sorry for your loss... and for the crappy way the gov't has apparently handled it.
Thanks for taking the time to set us straight. BTW, I did a little research and found this:
QuoteShortly after the shooting, President Clinton directed that Brown receive the Airman's Medal for heroism. Gen. John M. Loh, Air Combat Command commander, presented the medal June 30.
Additionally, I ran across this on Google: US Court of Appeals: Sigman V USA (http://www.ce9.uscourts.gov/web/newopinions.nsf/0/cd42286fb58d135688256927007a748a?OpenDocument)
Quote from: Powerslave on 08-07-2006 -- 14:49:57
I was at Cannon right after he was discharged from there....heard all the stories...our squadron commander was also on "the List"....there was a few SPs assigned to her for a while...he was shot by an SP as he was outside a base legal office taking shoys of people walking out the doors....the SP that shot him was on a bike...got the call, rode over, pulled out HER 9mm and put 3 rounds center body mass at 90yds....that is the tale we got from the Squadron Commander after it happened....everyone there was scared of him....
3 shots rapid fire...From 90 yards.....All center mass, huh? Sorry bro, I gotta pull the BS flag on that one. Not that I'm a gunslinger or anything, but I was on the Marine Corps pistol and rifle team (Oh, I'm distinguised in rifle and doulbe-distinguised for pistol). Anyway....
WHAT'S UP, FELLAS?! :-D I've been gone awhile. Hey Coup, you kill anything this year? :?
Maybe they're confusing yards with feet... 90 feet, and it would still be a helluva shot with a pistol.
like i said...i wasn't there as it happened, just heard stories from those who were there...
Yeah, kinda like when my father-n-law told me he killed a deer with a pellet rifle. Shot right thru the spine! :wink:
Whatever..... :-D
Quote from: PMEL_DEVIL-DOG link=topic=531. msg9382#msg9382 date=1171996783
3 shots rapid fire. . . From 90 yards. . . . . All center mass, huh? Sorry bro, I gotta pull the BS flag on that one.
If you look at my post above, you will see that I did spoke to the provost marshall, who was kind enough to take me on a walking tour of the site. I was shown where Brown had dismounted and where Mellberg had been standing when Brown ended the spree (along with a whole lot more that I need not go into just now).
It was 80 yards, give or take one or two, and Sgt Brown fired four (4) rounds in (if I remember correctly) a Weaver stance. This is not a "shootout at the OK corral" kind of stance. This is "Breathe, Aim, Release, Squeeze," and affords at least one second between shots -- sufficient time for a proficient marksman to recover his aim following a recoil.
I will grant that the maximum effective range of the M92 pistol is only 25 meters but that does not mean that the bullet drops to the ground at the 26th meter. It keeps going a little while. So, I deduce the following from this:
1 - Sgt Brown was a proficient marksman;
2 - Sgt Brown took his life in his own hands by confronting a shooter who was out of range and had a much more powerful weapon; and
3 - God smiled on Sgt Brown's poor judgement by helping two of his four bullets reach their target before Mellberg could engage.
Oh, and by the way --- Mellberg was nuts long before he joined the Air Force.
I heard that the SP was a Girl? I guess they were wrong.
Unless, of course, Brown's parents decided that "Andrew" was a suitable name for a girl.
I am interested in hearing from anyone who knew Mellberg. Also Dr. London's Brother.
I am just looking for some background info as I conduct further research into the shooting.
I was a Security Policeman at Fairchild who responded to the Hospital shooting.
Thank you, and sorry for reviving such an old post.
Andy Brown
I don't have any knowledge to pass along but just wanted to thank Andy for what he did. Seriously - way to step up man. You're a hero - no B.S.
Thank you RichieRich,
There were a lot of heroes there that day. Several medical staff and other military members disregarded their own safety to help others. I am glad I was there, and I am proud of my actions, but I was not the only one who acted. I just happened to be the one who was armed and the one who got the media attention.
Thank you again,
Andy
So the shots were fired and hit the mark from 80 yards?
Any comments on the FT hood incident since there are some similarities?
Should military installations allow service member to be armed on base,
Or at least positions armed MP's in the larger buildings?
Colt45,
I confronted Mellberg on the street in front of the Hospital. I dumped my bike, drew my weapon and and knelt on one knee as I put him in my sights and ordered him to drop his weapon. When he did not comply, and fired in my direction I returned fire.
I did not think he was that far away, however I remember his body was nearly obscured by my front sight when I was preparing to fire.
The Sheriff's department, after determining how far my weapon threw its discharged brass, and where the gunman fell, estimated the distance between me and the gunman to be 68 and 71 yards. It has been generally accepted as 70 yards. I fired four rounds, and hit him with two of those. One in the shoulder, causing a superficial wound, the other hit on the nose, entering his head through the corner of his left eye. The bullet passed through his upper brain causing what expert say is an electrical storm in his nervous system. It instantly ended his homicidal actions.
I believe in the right of the individual citizen to be armed in order to defend self and others. I don't think I want to live in a society where armed guards need to be posted around every building or at every street corner. The police can not be everywhere, when ever they are needed.
I believe responsible, trained, gun owners are one part of the answer to America's crime problem.
I can tell you this, a "Gun Free Zone" such as a military base, or school, does not prevent any crime. The only thing it does, is give an assurance to criminals that they will be safe, until the police arrive.
Andy Brown
Very interesting reading this. . . had heard the story many times in my 4 years of service.
Thank you Andy Brown, for everything!
I was one of Dean Mellberg's instructors in PMEL school. I identified him to my Army supervisor as a person I thought clearly needed some mental health help. Instead I was told to let him go because he had a 98 grade point average and would be out of school soon enough. I regret I let it go at that point to this day. If he had been identified and helped earlier, things may have turned out differently (perhaps he would have killed me). The lesson I learned from this experience is if you are in a postion in the military where you think someone may need some mental health help, make sure they get it. Don't stop until they see some doctors. We have far too many tragic examples in the military where people have been killed where the investigation after the fact concludes a lot of people knew help was needed, but nobody wanted to rock the boat. The Ft. Hood incident is just the latest in a long string of sad stories.
Yes, Melberg obviously had many problems before he even entered the miliary and the system should have identified him much earlier in the process (probably never should have been allowed in). There is a grain of truth in most of the postings as I was around and involved in a supervisory capacity duing his tenure at Lowry. Again, thank you to Sgt. Brown. It happened just as he says and many are alive today that would not be if it weren't for him. There is no need to challenge his marksmanship (why does anyone care as long as he fulfilled his duty). I can remember this incident in amazing detail as I have regrets to this day many lost their lives and God allowed me to keep mine even though I didn't step up when I thought I should have.
I do not think anyone should blame themselves for Mellberg's actions.
A lot of people second guess what they did or did not do. But, Mellberg was identified to mental health professionals several times during his time in the Air Force. He continuously evaded discharge and slipped through the system. He was seen by mental health at Basic. I heard he was referred at Lowry also. He was seen at Fairchild and they saw something wrong and sent him to Wilford Hall. He got past them and went to Cannon AFB where he was seen again by mental health and they discharged him instead of getting him treatment.
So even if you had fought harder to get him seen, it most likely would not have changed anything.
There are more people than you might imagine who are bothered to this day, wishing they would have done something differently. There are also a lot of people still struggling to cope with the tragedy. They have a lot of questions, yet unanswered. As do I.
I am writing a book about the Fairchild shooting and am finding it therapeutic. I think it will help everyone who is still troubled by the incident and Dean Mellberg.
I am researching Mellbergs history, talking with people who knew him in High School, Basic Training, Tech School, Fairchild, Wilford Hall, and Cannon. I am learning a lot, but I need your help.
I would like to learn more about what you remember about Dean Mellberg while he was at Lowry. Also what PMEL tech school was like in general.
If you would like to learn more about my efforts to help and memorialize those who were at Fairchild that day, you may visit a website I created. www. fairchildhospitalshooting. com
I look forward to corresponding with you.
Andy Brown