Ammo: bombs, bullets, brotherhood

Published March 23, 2018
By Airman 1st Class BrieAnna Stillman
20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- Members assigned to the 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron are some of the first to ensure Team Shaw’s F-16CM Fighting Falcons have proper ammunition at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.

The conventional missions statement is to build, maintain, and deliver serviceable munitions to the flight line at any time they request in order to fill the needs of any flying mission both at home station and while deployed.

Before performing any tasks, 20th EMS Airmen must get a crew brief to ensure safety and make sure everyone is aware of what tasks will need to be completed that day.

Multiple jobs take place within maintenance, such as inspecting GPS-guided munitions, 2.75 inch rockets, and chaff and flare. Other tasks include assembling bombs and preparing 20 mm rounds to be loaded to an M61 A1 Vulcan.

Although Ammo may seem to be all about bombs and munitions, in many aspects it requires a lot of logistics work, training upkeep and support from one another.

“As far as ammo goes, we really are logistics first and then we are maintenance troops,” said Staff Sgt. Richard Olney, 20th EMS munitions inspector. “We account everything from bullet casings to bomb parts.”

Ammo facilities are intentionally secluded from the rest of the base populace for safety reasons. Because of this Ammo Airmen form a very tight-knit bond with each other.

“Ammo is a family,” said Senior Airman Christopher Hardt, 20th EMS conventional maintenance crew chief. “Being separate from the rest of the base, we make sure to be each other’s wingmen which turns into a sort of brotherhood.”

Both Hardt and Olney take pride in their job, knowing without the help of ammo F-16s would not be the combative aircraft it is today contributing first-hand to the mission.