MHAFB 100% Ammo Inventory.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michael Pieters, 366th Equipment Maintenance Squadron production supervisor, double checks his inventory count Sept. 3, 2013, at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. Ammo personnel were involved in the entire inventory process from pre-inventory inspections to the location validations throughout more than 20 buildings. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Benjamin Sutton/Released)

MHAFB 100% Ammo Inventory.

Members of the 366th Equipment Maintenance Squadron perform a 100 percent inventory Sept. 3, 2013, at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. Each munitions asset is physically checked to ensure it's in the proper location and still in working condition. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Benjamin Sutton/Released)

MHAFB 100% Ammo Inventory.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Anwar Bell, 366th Equipment Maintenance Squadron munitions inspector looks inside a cartridge box Sept. 3, 2013, at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. Airmen were broken up into four separate teams in order to inventory the more than 20 buildings which hold munitions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Benjamin Sutton/Released)

MHAFB 100% Ammo Inventory.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Anwar Bell and Christopher Trowbridge, 366th Equipment Maintenance Squadron munitions inspectors, perform a munitions inventory validation Sept. 3, 2013, at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. With the multi-national exercise Mountain Roundup set to begin in a few weeks, these Airmen worked longer hours to ensure all assets are accounted for. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Benjamin Sutton/Released)

Accurate, $30-million ammo inventory vital for mission success

Published Sept. 24, 2013
By Senior Airman Benjamin Sutton
366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho -- More than 15 Airmen from the 366th Equipment Maintenance Squadron performed an annual 100 percent inventory of munitions worth more than $30 million, Sept. 2-4, at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.

The Airmen were broken up into four separate teams in order to accomplish the monumental task inventorying 1,309 tons of munitions.

"Accountability and security of all munitions assets on base is extremely important," said Master Sgt. Michael Mosher, 366th EMS NCO in-charge of munitions operations. "In order to facilitate the count, we established teams who were charged with physically reviewing and collecting the data."

Ammo personnel were involved in the entire inventory process from pre-inventory inspections to the location validations throughout more than 20 buildings.

"We utilize a step-by-step process so the inventory runs as smoothly as possible," said Tech. Sgt. Michael Pieters, 366th EMS production supervisor. "We check to see if the asset is physically in the correct location and in its proper condition before checking it off and continuing. This ensures these assets, whether small arms or explosives, are accounted for."

With the multi-national exercise Mountain Roundup set to begin in a few weeks, these Airmen worked longer hours to ensure everything, including U.S. Marine Corps, German and Republic of Singapore Air Force assets, were accounted for.

"There are quite a few different countries that have shipped us assets for the exercise," said Pieters. "Having these munitions will really give the air and ground crews an edge during the exercise. Loading and dropping practice rounds versus live-rounds is very different. We also use the inventory counts to determine if there will be a need to resupply those assets during the exercise."

Being prepared to execute the mission is an essential part of readiness, Pieters said. It all comes down to communicating capabilities and meeting obligations.

"For us, the bigger picture is being able to see what we have on hand versus what we may be able to ship out throughout the year," said Mosher. "At any time we can be tasked to ship out assets to support a temporary duty unit or to keep a sister base from having to ground aircraft. These inventories ensure we can deploy combat ready Airmen across the globe with the weapons they need to fly, fight and win."