Officers go to bomb-building how-to course

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Scott Wakefield
  • Detachment 4, Air Force News Agency
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England (AFNEWS) --  Munitions specialists for the 48th Fighter Wing put senior leaders through eight hours of training in a munitions accountability course.

The one-day course is designed after an Air Force senior NCO munitions course at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., that takes senior NCOs through the steps of an operational readiness inspection-type scenario. A previous base commander at RAF Lakenheath brought the idea for the RAF Lakenheath course with him from another base, and had the bomb builders here develop the course for senior leaders.

The day began with a classroom lecture, familiarizing the officers with the process of munitions building, forecasting of a munition build, and the different type of munitions that can be built here by munitions specialists.

The officers then went to the bomb building site and looked at the weapons systems on display. Then they tried their hand at actually assembling the munitions.

Tech. Sgt. Dewight Alexander the Combat Plans and Munitions Training NCO in charge wants the officers to walk away from the course understanding how their decisions can take some time to implement.

"People think there's a stockpile of munitions built just ready and serviceable, they don't realize what it takes to get munitions together," he said.

This particular class was attended by officers ranging from second lieutenant to major general. Second Lt. Adam Pierce is taking over the Munitions Flight that conducts the training, and has only been at RAF Lakenheath three weeks. He attended the course to see what his Airmen have to go through.

"I think it's important for everybody to understand what the Airmen do," he said. He believes this course provides leaders with a better insight into how the Ammo guys fit into the wings mission.

The course has drawn some attention from leaders outside of RAF Lakenheath, as officers from other bases in the U.K. and Germany have shown interest in attending. The vice commander of 3rd Air Force, Maj. Gen. Paul Fletcher, attended this course. The attention isn't limited to U.S. Air Force assets; an admiral in the Navy has also made inquiries into possibly attending the course as well.

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