MUNS at midnight

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Erin R. Babis
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  It's pitch black as a jet flies overhead, when Tech Sgt. Jason Harlan, 48th Munitions Squadron conventional maintenance production supervisor, asks, "You hear that sound? If you take munitions out of the equation that's all that is - a sound."

The 48th MUNS at RAF Lakenheath provides all explosives, to include bombs, 20 mm rounds, counter measures, marine markers and small arms, to the fighter squadrons and the rescue squadron. They are proud of the work they do in support of the mission of the 48th Fighter Wing.

Harlan and Tech. Sgt. Elvin Rose, 48th MUNS conventional maintenance shift lead, were excited to showcase what their squadron does. Rose and Harlan explained that the night and day shifts work cooperatively.

"It's not that we get more done or the day shift gets more done, it's just that we do different things," Rose explained. "Your day shift - they are going to do the majority of the builds - prepare the chaff-and-flare counter measures, .50-caliber and 20 mm rounds and everything else. Night shift - we take on a separate role. When the jets come down, we go out to the flightline, replenish them with all the munitions, bring the mods (modules that house the chaff and flare) back to the shop to count our expenditures and then set them up for day shift."

As Harlan states, it's a symbiotic relationship. On this particular night, the day shift had accomplished all the building. But that's not always the case.

"Sometimes the shoe's on the other foot," Harlan said. "Sometimes night shift gets stuff done on their shift, and they have to set us up for success. We'll return the favor."

The MUNS provides 24-hour coverage to support day-to-day flying.

"Sgt. Rose is critical on those 'off shifts' to get people out there and get the jets uploaded so when the next day rolls around, they can take off without issue," Harlan explained. "People were chomping at the bit to get on Sgt. Rose's shift. He's 'papa bear' around here. Everybody loves him."

"A lot of guys like the night shift just because on day shift you get a lot of stuff coming down," Rose said. "You'll dig into one operation, and then something else comes down so you have to stop. With night shift, it's very direct. We take care of the flightline, and everything else is on hold."

Regardless of rank or duty title, everyone on the night-shift crew was unanimously pleased with working in munitions - also referred to as 'ammo.'

"I wanted to work around the aircraft on the flightline with explosives," said Senior Airman Timothy Bryke, 48th MUNS conventional maintenance crew member. "College was fun, but I'd had enough of school. I wanted to see the world, serve my country, and that's what I'm doing now. I'm definitely pleased with it."

"If there is anything you pick up out of ammo that is different from everybody else, it's that we play hard but we work harder," said Airman 1st Class Robert Stevens, 48th MUNS conventional maintenance crew chief. "I love my job."

"The fact is, we have a saying: 'If you ain't ammo, you ain't...' you can fill in the rest," Harlan said. "Everybody says their mission is the best mission. Of course everybody says that. But you know what? If you didn't think it was the best mission, what are you doing? Why don't you cross train?"

Ammo personnel are proud, but Harlan explained they understand they are part of a greater whole.

"Just like there are different parts of the body that make up the whole person - that's the whole thing about the Air Force," Harlan said. "I could build bombs all day long, but if the maintainers aren't maintaining the aircraft, they're not going to go anywhere."

Harlan explained that every job in the Air Force is essential in accomplishing the mission.

"I feel like ammo is the backbone to the whole operation, the whole Air Force mission," Harlan said. "Obviously, if the plane doesn't take off, you can't drop the munitions. I'm just saying, if everything else works, without this piece, it's missing the exclamation point."