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Munitions loaded for RIMPAC

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Angela Brees
  • 190th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii --  "Check your guns at the door." More than a philosophy in a Wild West saloon, it is the mission of the 15th Wing's munitions team for this year's Rim of the Pacific exercise. More than 50 aircraft to date have checked in their munitions at the flightline door of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

Since the exercise began on July 2, the 15th Wing's munitions team has seen their inventory increase by 20 percent. With a small team of 11, the team has broken into two shifts to tackle the workload.

"We typically only support the C-17s (Globemasters), so the operational tempo is much greater than normal," said Tech. Sgt. Jonathan Rico, Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of the Munitions Flight. "But we're using this as a training opportunity for our team - an opportunity to grow our knowledge."

The team is housing GBU-38s, 500-pound Joint Direct Attack Munitions used by the F-16 Fighting Falcon; GBU-10s, a 2,000-pound bomb used by the A-10 Thunderbolt; chaff and flare used by various aircraft; and 50 caliber rounds used by the HS-60, as well as all their associated components.

To ensure smooth operations, the team is working closely with its 32 aviation ordinance counterparts from the U.S. and Canadian Air Force, U.S. Navy, and the Marines. Safety is the highest priority in working with the various service branches, all with different policies and procedures, said Rico.

"Whichever policy is the more stringent - that's the one we want to follow," he said.

For the exercise, Senior Airman Angelica Dealmeida has overseen the inventory of incoming and outgoing munitions. As the accountability representative, she is responsible for the storage, movement, build up and tear down of about 65 munitions on any given day during the exercise.

"This is my first RIMPAC, and it has been a great learning experience. Learning the new bombs, working with the various branches, it's been a blessing as I prepare to change duty stations and is helping me prepare for how a larger base operates," she said.
It's a big responsibility, Rico said, especially for a Senior Airman.

"She has spear headed each aspect of munitions accountability and has shown leadership aspects you don't typically see in a Senior Airman," he said. "(Her efforts) allow the Flight to have up-to-date visibility on our assets ... In turn, we are able to provide the status of allocated munitions for all units involved."

That workload is likely to increase. Another four units are expected to arrive over the next few days. But Rico and team are ready for it.

"We are integrating and working together now with the personnel who have already arrived. And while we maintain overall accountability and facility support, we are all using this time to gain training on how we complete the mission in the coming days," he said.