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Spend a Day in Munitions

  • Published
  • By SSgt. Samara Taylor
  • 127th Wing Public Affairs
This is Munitions.

The Airmen of this munitions shop are the part of 127th Maintenance Group, tasked with the responsibility of maintaining the unit's assigned A-10 aircraft Thunderbolt II and related equipment at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in a flying and fighting condition. All take pride in supporting the motto: "We stand Ready."

The shop celebrated the opening of its $8.5 million new munitions complex in March. The group is responsible for the control, accountability, storage, shipping and receiving, inspection, maintenance, assembly and delivery of all types of aircraft-delivered munitions, including a variety of types of missiles and bombs. In addition, munitions Airmen manage and maintain all assigned tools, tesing materials and munitions handling equipment.

Airman 1st Class Brianna Ayers said her duties related to the assembly and delivery of munitions are interesting and give her a different experience from the clerical position she holds in the civilian sector. Ayers is a traditional member of the Air National Guard, generally serving about one weekend a month on duty.

"I've learned a lot," she said of her military assignment. "It's different from what I am used to doing -- something I would not be able to do in my civilian position."

The assigned aircraft for the 127th MXS -- the A-10 -- can employ a wide variety of conventional munitions, including general purpose bombs, cluster bomb units, laser guided bombs, AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, rockets, illumination flares, and the AGM-65 Maverick missiles. All of that is in addition to the 1,100 or so rounds loaded into the aircraft for the A-10's signature weapon: the GAU-8/A 30mm cannon.

Senior Airman Brent Long works with precision guided munitions for the shop. Among the missiles he often works on locally at Selfridge Air National Guard Base is the TGM-65 Training Guided Missile. The TGM-65 is used to simulate, air-to-surface guided missile designed for close air support, interdiction and defense suppression missions. Long said enjoys his job and the camaraderie of his co-workers.

Comprised of approximately 1,600 personnel and flying both the A-10 Thunderbolt II and the KC-135 Stratotanker, the 127th Wing supports Air Mobility Command, Air Combat Command and Air Force Special Operation Command by providing highly-skilled Airmen to missions domestically and overseas. The 127th Wing is the host unit at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, which marked its 96th year of continuous military air operations in 2013.