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Load crews face-off for top spot

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Christopher Maldonado
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  The 20th Maintenance Group weapons standardization unit held their annual Weapons Load Crew of the Year competition here Jan. 22.

Load crew teams from each of the 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadrons, the 55th "Shooters," the 77th "Gamblers," and the 79th "Tigers," as well as a team from the 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, went head-to-head to see which load crew was the best of the best.

The competition consisted of four teams of three Airmen working together to load four munitions onto an F-16CM Fighting Falcon. Each team loaded an AIM-120, AIM-9 L/M, and two GBU-38s. Evaluators decided the winner by determining which team loaded the munitions onto the F-16 the fastest and most efficient.

"The competition is conducted to showcase who the "best of the best" load crews are on base," said Tech. Sgt. Thanh Nguyen, 20th Maintenance Group loading standardization crew member. "Each member is certified in their respective positions and each team member has a certain job to do when loading bombs or missiles onto the F-16."

The teams consisted of a team chief and two members who were responsible for filling out a loading checklist, preparing equipment and munitions for the competition, and properly executing loading procedures for the various munitions.

"We do the same thing we always do, we load as safely and efficiently as we can," said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Benjamin Cooper, 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron weapons load team chief. "I have a pretty good crew, everyone knows their roles and gets the job done."

The 20th MXG will announce the Load Crew of the Year winner during the 2016 Maintenance Professional of the Year ceremony, May 26.