Seeing the unseen: How 5MXS’ nondestructive inspection specialists check what eyes cannot
Airman 1st Class Brendan Conklin, 5th Maintenance Squadron nondestructive inspection technician, simulates activating the X-ray system at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, February 5, 2026. The NDI shop takes several precautions to safeguard its members while working near a radiation area, including using a Geiger counter, wearing a warning device to detect if local radiation levels are too high, and wearing a thermoluminescent dosimeter to track an individual’s lifetime exposure to radiation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kendra A. Ransum)