MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- You thought you had it hard on field days? You've got nothing on Harvey A. Wicker Jr.

Wicker, vehicle operator, Miramar Motor Pool, spends his days driving the flight line sweeper up and down the Air Station's runways, taxiways and hangar areas picking up Foreign Object Debris (FOD).

Since 1991, Wicker has been keeping Marine airfields free of debris. He began his sweeping days at MCAS El Toro and moved to Miramar with the Marines in 1997.

After spending the past five years becoming accustomed to the flight line, he is able to pick out the smallest pebble resting on the deck while driving by in his giant yellow truck, equipped with sweeper apparatus.

With a flick of a few switches, the truck whirrs and whines as air forces the pebble into the debris collection bin.

Unfortunately, tiny pebbles aren't the only type of debris Wicker collects. He has found nuts and bolts and dummy ordnance pins on and around Miramar's taxiways.

According to Wicker, any of these items could do damage to an aircraft if ingested into an engine. That's why Wicker's job is so important.

"If something is ingested into a jet aircraft it can cause significant damage to the aircraft and possibly cause personal injury to the pilot," said Wicker. "That's why I take my job so seriously. You can always replace an airplane, but you can't replace an individual."

Wicker's day starts around 6 a.m., long before the airfield opens. He makes his normal morning rounds with the operations duty officer and a crew from Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting.

If anything is found, Wicker brings it to the attention of the operations duty officer, who attempts to trace its origins. He also takes note of several FOD problem areas on the flight line and makes suggestions on how to do business differently to reduce the amount of FOD on the airfield.

"Harvey's observance contributes to the overall safety of the flight line," said Lt. Col. Marty S. Veitel, operations officer, G-3, MCAS Miramar. "The things he has found on the flight line has initiated policy changes on the way people clean up after themselves while on the flight line."

Although much of Wicker's time on the job is spent alone in his truck, his favorite part is being around people. He always has a smile on his face and sends a friendly wave to anyone he sees while performing his duties.

"I get a chance to talk with pilots, crew chiefs, and all sorts of exciting people. Every day is different," said Wicker. "You don't have boredom at this job like some people who work in an office. I get to see coyotes and deer. Sometimes they call me to chase tumbleweeds."

Although Wicker now works on the Wing side of the Marine Corps, his military experience began on the ground side more than 40 years ago when he enlisted in the Corps.

"I was young and living in Los Angeles," said Wicker. "I needed to do something quick before I got into trouble. That's why I joined the Marines. It made me grow up and be more responsible."

After six years in the infantry, Wicker was placed into the motor pool.

He finished his tour with the Marine Corps and joined the Air Force.

Wicker moved all over the world with the Air Force, to places like Spain, Germany, Turkey and all over the United States. He held all sorts of transportation-related jobs in the Air Force, including dispatcher and supervisor.

Wicker's active-duty military career ended when he retired in 1984 after six years in the Marine Corps and 18 years in the Air Force. He tried out a few different jobs upon retirement, but didn't find anything that satisfied his taste for action like the military. In 1989 he joined the civil service and worked at Norton Air Force Base, near San Bernardino.

Although he retired from the Air Force, Wicker still considers himself a Marine first.

"Once a Marine, always a Marine," he said.

Next time you're stuck scrubbing the barracks staircase on a Thursday night, think of Harvey Wicker, the Marine who cleans the entire airfield to ensure everyone's safety.