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Going above, beyond: Everyday business in the munitions flight

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Jeff Loftin
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) --  Two fully-loaded munitions trailers move out from the protection of a sunshade and into the blistering heat. They find temporary relief in the conventional maintenance bay, a workspace for 42 "ammo" troops, and will be prepped for loading onto an B-1B Lancer.

Many jobs support the mission here at this Southwest Asia base but few have the impact of the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron munitions flight, which assembles such ordnance for the war on terrorism. The flight has prepared more than 3,700 bombs for Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom during the last three years.

"Each and every time you go out and build [bombs], you get the sense that you're doing something important, because you know these are going to strike meaningful targets," said Senior Airman Jacob Frank, an ammo troop deployed from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.

The munitions flight works with bombs and countermeasures for the B-1B, C-17 Globemaster III and C-130 Hercules, and also for other aircraft, including fighters, when here. The flight's bread and butter is assembling joint direct attack munitions such as the guided bomb unit-31 and GBU-38, but is capable of providing anything on the unit committed munitions list.

"We are a provider and operations is the customer," said 1st Lt. Le Tran, munitions flight commander. "We give them what weapons they need for their mission, and we take every measure to make sure that bomb meets our standard of 'above and beyond' before we hand it off."

The flight is responsible for assembling, inspecting and accounting for all of the munitions and components used. They also perform periodic maintenance on precision guided munitions. The flight works hand-in-hand with a contractor, responsible for all of the shipping, receiving and storing of the materials to build bombs. When materials are needed, the flight requests the contractor to have them ready for pickup.

Once materials are received, each and every component is inspected by a certified munitions inspector. Before assembly, each tail kit undergoes a software check. Munitions can then be assembled by qualified ammo troops.

The flight then goes beyond what is required by regulation and has a qualified 7-level inspect each munition again before storing it on the ready line. Once taken from the ready line to the flightline for loading, each bomb will undergo a second software test and 7-level check, also exceeding regulation requirements.

"The work after the bomb is built makes the flight here unique, ensuring every bomb meets one standard -- perfection," said Lieutenant Tran. "The mindset is a permanent fixture within the Airmen of the munitions flight. This mindset of going above and beyond is tied to the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Group's principle of maintenance versus repair."

These high standards have garnered the munitions flight a 99 percent release rate and 99 percent munitions effectiveness rate -- the best in the area of responsibility.

"We have to hold our work to a higher standard, because people's lives depend on us," said Airman Frank, referring to the critical close-air-support role of the B-1B.

Munition assembly can be a long, back-breaking process, said Lieutenant Tran, also deployed from Ellsworth AFB.

"These bombs don't come ready and in crates," said the Southbend, Ind., native. "Our dedicated Airmen do a considerable amount of work under the hot sun prepping, assembling and maintaining the serviceability of each munition."

The lieutenant said one of the flight's challenges is getting people to understand the difficulty of the jobs when last-minute changes occur.

"We don't want to prevent changes, just get people to understand it's not a simple process to change," he said. "As ammo troops, we will always make the mission happen, it's just getting people to understand it's not as simple as changing from fries to onion rings at the Burger King line."

Though challenging, the job does come with built-in rewards. Airman Frank called the job a truly rewarding experience. The Houghton, Mich., native recently extended his six-month deployment another six months.

"[The best part of the job] is being out there knowing that your work makes the mission happen," said Lieutenant Tran. "There is a lot of pride in the ammo community because of the work we do and the standards we uphold."

The flight will continue to go 'above and beyond' requirements to insure the impact of their mission is felt by those who would threaten the U.S. or its allies.


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