AMU takes top honors in last quarterly load comp

  • Published
  • By Chrissy Cuttita
  • 33d Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (ACCNS) --  Slow and steady won the race during the high-energy quarterly weapons load crew competition at a 33d Fighter Wing hangar Oct. 10. 

"This was a great way for the 60th Aircraft Maintenance Unit to go out and show their best," said Lt. Col. Roger Quinto, 33d Maintenance Group deputy commander, about the winning team. 

Soon the 60th Fighter Squadron will close its hangar doors due to the drawdown of the 33d Fighter Wing and this fact only motivated the three-man maintainer team to do their best even more. 

"Persistence paid off," said Staff Sgt. Robert Constant, team lead for the 60th AMU.
Their competitors, the 58th AMU team, knew the 60th would be geared up to take the completion they've won before in the high-profile last load award. 

"The squadron is depending on the crew," said Staff Sgt. David Rodriquez, 58th AMU team lead, who said it was an honor to represent his unit. 

Prior to the head-to-head race to load an AIM-9 under the left wing and an AIM 120 on the fuselage of their respective fighter squadron's F-15 crew members were selected competitively by their section chiefs as the choice pick to represent their unit. Competition points were awarded for uniform inspection, a 25-question test prepared by the Weapons Standardization Section and tool box inspection. Once the music started blaring the team started speed walking through their checklists for the final, most anticipated part of the competition - carrying out the task of weapons loading. 

"Each crew loads a jet simultaneously, being evaluated for execution (proficiency & timeliness), safety and reliability. All areas are tabulated, infraction points are deducted, and a winner is declared," said Senior Master Sgt. Andrew C. Wheat, 33d FW weapons manager. "Load Crew of Quarter competition is a recognition program to test and reward the best crew for the quarter. A much needed side effect is the competition showcases to maintainers, operators, and supervision the effort all load crews required to maintain war readiness." 

In the end, the team with the most accuracy won versus the team with the most speed. The 60th AMU earned their bragging rights after a crucial long five-minute wait for results after they busted their time limit. Their points were on the line because the team had to download the missiles they loaded again to adjust the adaptor pins they realized were in the wrong spot mid-way through the competition. Nervously they waited with the wing leadership and squadron personnel watching in the bleachers. 

"Waiting was the hardest part," said Airman First Class Matthew Jones, 60th AMU. "In my mind I went through everything we checked off." 

A few unseen safety errors put the 58th behind even though time was on their side. 

"The end result depends on doing the job right, not doing it as fast as you can," said Colonel Quinto. 

"We were prepared to do what we do," said Airman First Class DeJuan Hazel, 60th AMU.
Aircraft Armament System Specialist, knows as "weapons loaders" maintain aircraft weapons systems; install and load armaments unto that systems and aircraft. 

"The nature and inherent danger of the task that we do requires training and maintenance of this competency at a task 'certification' level vs. the more common task qualification level," said Sergeant Wheat. "Everything we do is done as a crew, a three-man team, which makes certification even more difficult. This certification is maintained by monthly and quarterly re-certification. The Weapons Standardization Section certifies load crews by evaluating their performance of a loading operation." 

In the end it is all about who can load safely and properly with no failures or liability according to Air Force standards and technical orders.