Bluegrass and bullets

Photo By Gregg Moore | Pvt. Alexis Baker, 163rd Ordnance Company, Tustin, Calif., stacks ammunition crates at Blue Grass Army Depot, Ky., during her summer annual training in June.  

BLUE GRASS ARMY DEPOT, KY, UNITED STATES

06.12.2015

Story by Maj. Gregg Moore 

311th Expeditionary Sustainment Command   

BLUE GRASS ARMY DEPOT, Ky. – One-hundred and six Army Reserve Soldiers from the 163rd Ordnance Company, Tustin, California, spend their two-weeks of annual training at one of the few munition depots in the United States this June. Soldiers were afforded the opportunity to work in several ammunition handling functions alongside Department of the Army civilians employed with the depot. This was more than just practicing their specialty, these Soldiers were using their training to accomplish valuable work for the Department of Defense.

To make the most of the experience, the Soldiers worked at different sites for a few days each, learning about different ammunition and some of the best practices in handling, managing and transporting large and small types of rounds and explosives. From taking apart decades old 105 mm howitzer rounds for inspection and recycling to building wooden storage boxes to helping burn-off expired explosives, the ordnance Soldiers learned a side of their military few have the chance to see.

Sgt. Heather Newman trained Soldiers to correctly label ammunition crates for shipment to various locations. She instructed the younger troops on the importance of double checking markings and tags on the boxes to prevent people from miscounting of rounds on the receiving end by scanning an old or incorrect label. She said, “The civilians use a different system to track ammunition than we did in theater. It’s good for us to learn different ways to manage shipments.”

Other duties included inspecting, cleaning, moving, and cataloging tons of dunnage left outside in the elements. They separated and repackaged various types of ammunition for shipping. They assisted in the dis-assembly of expired ammunition for recycling or demilitarization. They even worked in a wood shop to build custom boxes for various purposes.

The 163rd Ordnance Company firefighters trained with the BGAD Fire Department on working in heavy smoke with breathing devices, the Jaws of Life, and practiced confined area operations.

The Blue Grass Army Depot is a green and wooded facility not far from Lexington, Kentucky. More than 900 fortified storage bunkers covered in grass dot the lush landscape, storing virtually every type of munition in the American inventory. Much of the ammunition is decades old and has surpassed its functional lifespan. It waits at BGAD for recycling or demilitarized. The facility employees thousands of civilians. However, the work is well suited for Army Reserve Ordnance Soldiers to practice and expand their skills with this opportunity to participate in this important part of the unspent military ammunition.

This great training area accommodates Army Reserve, National Guard, and Active Component units, as well as ROTC and others at various times of the year.

• Date Taken: 06.12.2015
• Date Posted: 06.19.2015 13:26
• Story ID: 167313
• Location: BLUE GRASS ARMY DEPOT, KY, US
• Hometown: TUSTIN, CA, US