Ammo really built the pyramids

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Phillip Butterfield
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq --  Ammunition, ordnance or munitions: however you say it, servicemembers have been taking care of it since the beginning of war, and Airmen at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, are taking care of it now.

From a heritage of maintaining musket rounds and cannonballs to assembling advanced missile systems and global-positioning and laser-guided bombs, the 332nd EMXS munitions storage Airmen are the maintainers of the "boom."

"We are still called Ammo because that is where we began," said Chief Erick Hayes, 332nd Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron Ammo chief. "From the days of stacking pyramids of cannonballs near the front lines to assembling high-tech missiles for our high tech aircraft today - we are and will always be Ammo."

The bomb dump where Ammo Airmen work is divided into three sections: systems, material and production. From these sections, they are able to build, account for and deliver all the munitions and weapons necessary for mission success.

"Ammo provides the war fighter and the pilots with the munitions they need to do their job," said Master Sgt. Jason Schmitz, 332nd EMXS munitions production superintendant. "We have a saying: precision and reliable ammo for combat users."

The system section is like the brains of the munitions storage area, said Sergeant Schmitz, a native of Cleveland, deployed from Misawa Air Base, Japan. At JBB, it's a single element called munitions control. They are the command and control of the bomb dump, they know of all activity with the dump and the rest of the base.

Likewise, the materials section stores and inspect all the munitions at JBB. They record the expiration date and condition of all the weapons; and are responsible for maintaining a stockpile weapons and their components.

The production section, comprises combined conventional maintenance, precision guided munitions, line delivery and equipment maintenance. CCM and PGM build and test all the bombs and missiles used on the aircraft, while line delivery moves all the weapons from the storage area to where they're needed. Equipment maintenance repairs and maintains weapons delivery trailers and other equipment used to deliver and load the munitions.

"Ammo is a unique job," said Staff Sgt. Cy Marcus, 332 EMXS conventional maintenance bay chief, a native of Gainesville, Fla., deployed from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. "We get to build bombs and destroy things - not many jobs do that. I love this job and I couldn't see doing anything else."

When dealing with explosive devices created to destroy, safety is paramount every day on the job.

Safety procedures are strictly adhered to, said Tech. Sgt. Eduardo Pena, 332 EMXS senior munitions inspector. From technical data to crew briefings, maintainers make sure that everyone who's around munitions knows how to handle it and what to do if something happens.

"Safety is important because it protects are most important asset: our Airmen," said Sergeant Pena, a native of El Paso, Texas, deployed from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. "We deal with extremely dangerous items and if it's not treated with respect people can die."

In Ammo, Airmen need to care about their work place and their brothers; and Ammo has been doing that since they were stacking cannonballs into pyramids, said Chief Hays.

"We are forever faithful to our proud heritage," said Chief Hays, a native of Kingsley, Mich., deployed from Camp Darby, Italy. "Our pride, camaraderie and heritage distinguish us as a career field. I cannot remember how many times I've been told that other career fields and individuals envy our brotherhood."