Alder said his grandfather was a Marine, his uncle fought in the Vietnam War, and his brother-in-law, who he also considers his best friend, was already in the fight with 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment. That was enough to send the headstrong country boy to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., where the uncertainty of his forthcoming Marine Corps aviation career awaited.

“I enlisted without knowing what kind of aircraft I would be a crew chief on,” said Alder. “I was fortunate because at that time the Marine Corps needed Osprey crew chiefs badly. I guess it was just luck of the draw.”

Alder is a jokester, but takes his job seriously. The effervescent crew chief constantly speeds to the aid of anyone in need of assistance with an aircraft.

Even when there seemingly isn't something for him to do, he finds a task, typically with a smile on his face and often with a few wisecracks up his sleeve.

Energy and drive are things Alder is in no shortage of and keeping up with his tackling of various tasks can be like trying to keep an eye on the action in a pinball machine.

Alder's characteristics coincide well with his desire to know every aspect of his aircraft as well as any pilot or mechanic in the squadron. The Marine is known by his peers for his can-do attitude and active thirst for knowledge of the Marine Corps' tiltrotor aircraft.

“Anytime I'm not flying I spend time reading and studying the technical manuals for the Osprey,” said Alder. “I have to understand everything about the aircraft, commit it to memory and make sure I am as well-rounded as possible. I like to think of myself as a jack of all trades when it comes to the Osprey. If I'm not turning wrenches or helping other birds get up in the air, I'm training to better myself.”

Fellow Osprey crew chief Sgt. Joseph Meccico, whom Alder considers his mentor, has known the Maryland native for two years. The pair attended crew chief school together and are now both deployed with VMM-264 to Afghanistan.

“Alder does an outstanding job,” Meccico said. “He stays heavily engaged and focused at all times. He is always aware of what's going on with a mission and is very descriptive when he flies in calling out obstacles.”

Alder said the flightline section he works in is like a brotherhood. Marines in the section, he said, often refer to themselves as “La Familia.”

“Being in the plane you really do rely on your buddies,” said Alder. “The pilots rely on us, too. We're their eyes in the back of the aircraft and paint a picture of what they can't see on the ground for them.”

As a crew chief, Alder must know how the aircraft operates in flight and the duties he fulfills while in the air. Alder helps the pilots with navigation, assessing landing zones, spotting threats, loading passengers and cargo, manning the machine gun on the ramp, and advising the pilots of mechanical issues while in flight.

“Whether we are calling a plane to the deck or telling them how to execute maneuvers to evade a threat, communication is key,” he said. “Once you get out there everything else goes out the window and you have to have a clear mind and maintain situational awareness.”

Alder said that crew chiefs have a very demanding job, but whether he's working with the mechanics in the hangar getting aircraft ready to fly or in the back of the plane advising pilots during flight, it's all worth it.

“This job is very rewarding,” said Alder. “Helping the guys out on the ground means a lot to me. As for Marines I work with and myself, we are able to come back to a forward operating base that is secure, so giving other Marines that opportunity is important. They rely on us to get what they need out there.”

Alder plans to reenlist in the Marine Corps after his first term and wants to apply for the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program and hopefully become an Osprey pilot. Alder said he is also considering the option of becoming a crew chief instructor.

“I want to train new Marines to do what I do,” said Alder. “My hope is that when they come out here they're able to accomplish the mission as well, if not better, than we have.”