Bringing the heat: Expeditionary Airmen build bombs for the 379th

Published Aug. 12, 2007
By Capt. Teresa Sullivan
379th Air Expeditionary Wing

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- From an isolated compound eight miles from the main part of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, in 125 degree heat, munitions systems specialists have been churning out bombs to the tune of nearly 400 over the past two weeks.

"The minute we hit the ground we started building bombs for combat ... about 400 already. For a small group of Airmen that's unheard of," said Tech. Sgt. Ricky Hedrick, 379th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Munitions Flight equipment maintenance element chief. Sergeant Hedrick, from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, just rotated in for a six-month deployment. "We've been building an average of about 200 bombs per week so far."

The munitions flight, otherwise known as the ammo flight, works 12- to 15-hour shifts, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They're responsible for maintaining the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron's entire munitions stockpile. Various duties include building, testing, inspecting, storing and performing maintenance on all types of munitions.

Their day typically begins with 20-minute bus ride to a remote area of the base, which they affectionately refer to as the "bomb dump."

To maintain safety and security Munitions Storage Areas are usually geographically separated from main base. At the bomb dump there are gravel and dirt roads, little-to-no air conditioning and shade is at a premium.

"It's about 125 degrees during the day out here," said Staff Sergeant Luis DeLeon, a conventional maintenance crew chief, also based out of Dyess AFB. "At night it's about 93 degrees, so you could say we brave the elements out here. We work through the heat. The dust storms and humidity can be a challenge, but so far so good."

Once they get to the MSA for their shift, ammo Airmen get their tasking for the day. Lately that's been to build up to 50 bombs in a 24-hour time span. At least that's what it's been like for the last 10 days, said Sergeant Hedrick.

"What we do directly impacts the war effort - literally," said the London, Kentucky native. "The weapons we have built have been dropped on many targets throughout the AOR (area of responsibility)."

After they get their daily task list, they sign out their tools, prepare for the day's job, have a crew safety briefing and commence the build. The building of bombs, or "builds" as they are referred to get carried out in an assembly line fashion where they piece 10 to 12 parts together. Once built, the bombs are ready to be loaded onto the wing's fleet of B-1 aircraft for theaterwide "delivery" to the battlefield.

"We know our bombs have hit some pretty high priority targets - the loaders tell us stories they hear when the pilots return from their sorties," said Sergeant DeLeon, who's from Harlingen, Texas. "One day we'd like to see the video footage of the sorties - to see the end product."

Despite spending ninety percent of their work-day building bombs during heat stress condition five and being in "surge-mode" since day one, these Airmen have good morale and remain tightly knit, according to Sergeant DeLeon.

"We're a team out here," said the sergeant. "We work together, live together and spend our free time together, so we really develop a bond out here and that's one of the best parts of the job."

Sergeant Hedrick echoes his sentiments.

"No matter how hot it is or what we're asked to do, we push through and get the mission done - that speaks volumes for our squadron and the quality of our ammo Airmen," he said.