A Rock Solid Warrior: Staff Sgt. James Owens

Published June 13, 2014
By Public Affairs staff
386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- This week's Rock Solid Warrior is Staff Sgt. James Owens. Owens is a munitions inspector with the 386th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron. The Blythewood, South Carolina native is deployed from the 341st Munitions Squadron, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana.

Q: What is your family's military heritage (anyone else in your family who was/is in the military?):
A: My father was active duty Air Force in Security Forces for 22 years. My mother was in the Air Force Reserves doing law enforcement. My grandfather served with the Army during Vietnam as a cook. Several uncles and cousins have also served in varying branches and career fields.

Q: What is your mission here (in general terms)?
A: I monitor and maintain the serviceability of all ammunition utilized and stored in the 386 AEW. We provide assets to all kinds of base agencies, including security forces, explosive ordinance disposal, K-9 handlers, aircraft, etc. I also inspect and repair munitions handling equipment, and provide chaff and flare countermeasures for all aircraft when necessary.

Q: What are some of the best parts of your mission?
A: The best parts of my mission involve assisting base agencies. Whenever we get a chance to support our custodians, whether supplying ammunition for units going down range or supplying training items, it reminds me why we're here. I feel validated as part of the team.

Q: What are some of the challenges you face while conducting your mission, and how do you overcome them?
A: Communication is critical, especially since the munitions storage area is open 24/7. This is the first time in my career where I would work on a task and have to pass it on to someone else to continue after my shift ends. We take pride in our work, and we're not used to having a bunch of hands on our projects. It's an ever-developing process, and the only way we overcome it is by being who we are, and we're Ammo.

Q: How does your job differ in a deployed environment vs. home base?
A: The game is the same, just the players have changed. We don't have the luxury of home base to have the welcome breakfast or the weekend barbecues, all of us hit the ground running without a chance to understand how everybody approaches tasks or the job. But there's a lot of experience, a lot of different eyes on problems, and we come to the understanding that as long as the job is done by the book, everything else will fall together.

Q: How many times have you deployed?
A: This is my second deployment, the first was performing force protection escort at Baghdad International Airport.

Q: What makes this deployment unique?
A: It's only a deployment by title. I have a dorm room with a bathroom, there's exceptional and free internet service, there's always something going on to boost morale, and the chapel has massage chairs. If I wasn't told this was a deployment, I'd be none the wiser.

Q: Why did you join the Air Force?
A: There's a thousand reasons I've used for different people ranging from wanting to save the world to not wanting to go to college. However, I can't remember the reason I asked my dad to come to the recruiter's office with me so I can enlist. Maybe I was just a kid walking blind. Looking back at the start of my career, knowing nothing about the job, to the NCO I am today, and the SNCO I strive to become one day, I can honestly say I joined because it's who I am and what I was meant to be.

(The Rock Solid Warrior is a weekly spotlight focused on an outstanding member of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing. These unsung heroes have been nominated by their unit leadership to be recognized for their efforts while deployed.)