Load crew wins quarterly award

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Jensen Stidham | (From left) U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michael Hardy, 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron weapons load crew team chief, and Senior Airmen Andrew Fogle and Eric Perkins, both 20th AMXS weapons load crew members, get briefed on F-16 Fighting Falcon munition loading procedures, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., Aug. 27, 2013. The three won Shaw’s load crew of the quarter competition, which tested their skills in munitions loading of an F-16. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jensen Stidham/Released)  

SUMTER, SC, UNITED STATES

09.04.2013

Story by Airman 1st Class Jensen Stidham  

20th Fighter Wing

SUMTER, S.C. - Following a uniform inspection, a written test and then loading bombs onto an F-16 Fighting Falcon, Tech. Sgt. Michael Hardy, 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Weapons Load Crew Team Chief, Senior Airman Andrew Fogle, 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Weapons Load Crew, and Senior Airman Eric Perkins, 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Weapons Load Crew won load crew of the quarter here, Aug. 27.

“I love winning,” said Senior Airman Eric Perkins. “It helps me know I’m doing a good job.”

Before the crews compete, they have to qualify to enter the competition.

“Each load crew has to qualify on their munitions each month and over the course of six months they have to load everything at least once,” said Master Sgt. Neil Stokley, 20th Maintenance Group loading standardization crew chief. “Flight chiefs select the competing teams after looking at their loading records from the past three months, and they have to have at least a 95 percent pass rate.”

During the competition, the crew must pass a uniform inspection prior to even handling the munitions.

“They go through dress and appearance because if they are going to be the best load crew, then they have to look the part,” Stokley said.

After the crew passes their first inspection, they have to pass a written test.

“We test them on whichever munitions we’re using for the load and also other various munitions,” Stokley said.

“We throw in some hard questions too,” he added with a laugh.
Lastly, the crew is timed while carefully loading an F-16 with munitions.

“During the qualification, I walk around the load pad and make sure they’re going by the book,” Stokley said. “We train them to be proficient, that way when they deploy they can take out the bad guys.”

• Date Taken: 09.04.2013
• Date Posted: 09.04.2013 08:16
• Story ID: 113048
• Location: SUMTER, SC, US