Weapon crews vie for victory

  • Published
  • By Samantha S. DeVries
  • 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office
MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho --  The 390th Aircraft Maintenance Unit proved its weapons loaders were the wing's best during a quarterly weapons load competition April 23.

Three load crews, one from each AMU here, went up against each other in hopes of walking away with bragging rights as the best of the best.

The competition between the squadron load crews helps hone skills needed during combat conditions, according to Tech. Sgt. Rick Summers, weapons standardization superintendent. It helped the 391st AMU crews prepare for their current deployment at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, as they fight enemy forces.

"In addition to training, the competition is our way of recognizing them in front of their peers," added the sergeant.

"The load crew of the quarter competition provides an opportunity for our best to get even better. The spirit of competition drives the technicians to dig deeper into technical data and safety regulations to ensure they put their best effort into the aircraft load," said Chief Master Sgt. Michael Stirewalt, wing weapons manager.

Judging for the competition included a dress and appearance inspection, a toolbox inspection, a 25-question weapons knowledge test followed by the loading competition, Sergeant Summers added.

During the event, the 389th and 391st teams loaded an AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 advanced medium range air-to air missiles along with a CBU-87 cluster bomb. The 390th team loaded an AIM-9X next generation air-to-air missile and two AIM-120s.

The competition helps the wing perfect its mission capabilities, Sergeant Stirewalt said.

"This quest for perfection not only benefits the load crew during the competition but enables them to provide safe and reliable munitions for our pilots during contingency operations. This enhances our capability to perform our mission by putting bombs on target the first time and minimizing the time aircrews are put in harm's way," he added.

In the words of one weapon's troop, "without weapons, it's just another airline."

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