One-deep: AMMO Airman makes the rounds at Bagram

Photo By Capt. Bryan Bouchard | Senior Airman Sean Harris, deployed to the 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., loads 9mm rounds into a magazine at bullet issue Feb. 4, 2016. Bullet issue is manned by a single NCO responsible for the issuance, inspection and accountability of tens of thousands of small arms rounds at Bagram. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Bryan Bouchard)  

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, AFGHANISTAN

02.04.2016

Story by Capt. Bryan Bouchard 

455th Air Expeditionary Wing   

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan - If an Airman at Bagram carries a weapon, one particular NCO likely issued its ammunition.

Staff Sgt. Garrett Jacobs, a munitions systems craftsman in the 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron, single-handedly mans “Bullet Issue,” which sports a non-descript door adjacent to the Air Force’s small-arms armory on Bagram.

Once Airmen arrive in theater, they either receive a weapon from the armory or bring their home-station weapon to bullet issue. While back at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, Jacobs might provide a 500-pound bomb for an F-16, here he provides Airmen with anything from 30 rounds of 9 mm pistol ammunition, to a full combat load of 210 rounds of 5.56 ammo for their rifle along with 60 rounds for their pistol.

But the job is far more than just handing out bullets, he said. There’s ammunition inspection, accountability and, something out of the ordinary for an “AMMO” troop, customer service.

“If a unit or an individual comes to outprocess and turn in their ammunition, it’s been under their control for ‘X’ many months; so as an inspector, I have to verify that the ammunition is still serviceable,” Jacobs said.

This week alone, Jacobs inspected almost 9,000 rounds of 5.56 ammunition which he checked for discrepancies like serious dents, affected primers, or anything that might not allow it to function.

“As a munitions inspector, I can determine whether the ammunition is good, if it needs to be destroyed, if it can be put into training use, or if they should be sent off to another base for repairs,” he said.

Jacobs understands the importance these inspections have for deployed Airmen.

“These (rounds) are issued for personnel defense, so if anything were to happen and I issued out some messed up rounds that aren’t going to work, it would create a ‘not-great’ situation,” he explained.

Aside from making sure the rounds he issues are in optimal condition, he also must then account for each and every one of the up-to-132,000-plus rounds he’s touched since he arrived here in October.

“Accountability is such a huge portion of this job, because there are so many different people on base. I need to be able to track who has ammo, when they should turn-in, and how much ammo I have left so I know whether or not I can support a large unit coming in for combat loads,” he said.

Once rounds have been issued to an individual or group, Jacobs then inputs all of that info into a digital tracking system called the Combat Ammunition System. This is how his fellow AMMO Airmen maintain accountability of all Air Force ammunition on Bagram.

The last aspect of his job is something he said he wasn’t used to working the bomb dump, which is what the ammunition supply depot is affectionately referred to in the AMMO world.

“Experience is the best teacher,” Jacobs said, “so I wanted to see the different aspect of this job. The whole customer service part is super different than what we do at AMMO.”

So how does a munitions Airman get the opportunity to leave the bomb dump and work alone doing something he’s never done before? His supervisor said it was because of his willingness to work alone, and ability to perform his job without upper management.

“We have placed a great deal of trust and responsibility in (him) and he has performed beyond expectations,” said Jacobs’ supervisor, Master Sgt. Keome Madden, the 455th EMXS munitions accountable systems officer. “His keen attention to detail and exceptional personnel skills have allowed him to thrive in his position as the Bagram Air Field bullet issue manager.”

Jacobs said he appreciates the opportunity to try something new and has enjoyed working at bullet issue the past four months of his six-month tour.

“When I was slotted for this job, I was asked if I was interested in trying it out,” he said. “It’s a completely different aspect of AMMO from all the other bases I’ve been to. Usually Security Forces, or an organization that wants ammo, will come to us at the bomb dump and we’ll issue them out in huge crates and what-not. Then they’ll go deal with the small, basic loads.”

Aside from different duties, Jacobs has enjoyed learning more about how AMMO fits in to the overall mission.

“You get to meet a lot of different people from a lot of different units,” he said. “I’ll talk to certain units coming through picking up combat loads to go to different (forward operating bases) and they’ll tell me stories from what they’ve done there, why they’re going, what’s happening—it’s pretty cool.

“It gives a different and bigger picture of where AMMO fits in with the rest of the Air Force, which is awesome,” he added.

• Date Taken: 02.04.2016
• Date Posted: 02.05.2016 01:12
• Story ID: 187977
• Location: BAGRAM AIRFIELD, AF
• Hometown: DESERT HOT SPRINGS, CA, US
• Hometown: PALM SPRINGS, CA, US