336th AMU sweeps competition

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Tammie Moore
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs --  Weapon load crew Airmen and bomb lift truck operators, better known as jammers, from the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base aircraft maintenance units went head-to-head in competition fighting for the opportunity earn the title of best in their fields Oct. 31.

The jammer competition consisted of a MJ-1 bomb loader and Air Force Instruction inspection and an obstacle course. Judges evaluated the load crews on their ability to load AIM-120 and AIM-9 missiles, a CBU-103 cluster bomb and a GBU-31 v1 joint direct attack munition.

After all was said and done, Airmen from the 336th Aircraft Maintenance Unit dominated the competition. The 336th AMU captured the load crew title while Airman 1st Class Daniel Farris won the jammer competition.

The standard load time is 48 minutes with no functional check required, said Tech. Sgt. Joseph Holdcroft, 4th Maintenance Group loading standardization crew member. The load crew accumulating the highest score at the end of the competition is the winner. In the event of a tie, the judges deem the crew with the fastest load time the winner.

Weapon loaders earn up to 1,080 points in the competition. Their upload skills can capture 1,000 points, each team member can earn 20 points on the test and a bonus 20 points is given for each minute completed before the time standard.

"The Jammer Driver of the Quarter competition is held the same day as the Load Crew of the Quarter competition," Sergeant Holdcroft said. "Any 2W1X1 weapons troop having completed all required training to operate a bomb lift truck on the flightline may compete in the competition. Each section may nominate up to two competitors."

The jammer competition consisted of a MJ-1 inspection in accordance with Technical Order 35D3-2-25-1, Air Force Instruction 36-2903 inspection and an obstacle course. The Airmen earning the highest total points wins the contest.

"These awards and competitions are designed to increase morale, inspire excellence through recognition and recognize superior performers throughout the 2W1 weapons community," Sergeant Holdcroft said. "This is where we showcase the best of the best when it comes to weapons loading."

The units selected Airmen to participate in the completion based on their outstanding performance during the quarter.

The weapon load crew teams included: 

333th Aircraft Maintenance Unit
Staff Sgt. Scott Singleton
Senior Airman Erik Olson
Senior Airman Raymond Devarie

334th Aircraft Maintenance Unit
Staff Sgt. Steven Brown
Senior Airman Ramiro Villasana
Senior Airman Thomas Jackson Jr.

336th Aircraft Maintenance Unit
Staff Sgt. Christopher Yones
Senior Airman Shane Reinhold
Airman 1st Class James Pence

The jammer drivers are: 

334th Aircraft Maintenance Unit
Senior Airman Cody Jurgensmeyer

336th Aircraft Maintenance Unit
Senior Airman Rance Swicord
Airman 1st Class Daniel Farris

This is the first time Staff Sgt. Scott Singleton, 333rd AMU weapons load crew team chief, competed in a load competition at Seymour Johnson; however, he participated in them twice at Royal Air Force Base Lakenheath, England.

"It is a great honor to be selected for this event," Sergeant Singleton said. "I am proud to know my flight Chief Master Sgt. (Gary) Abbuhl has confidence in me to load well and compete with everyone else on base."

Despite not winning this competition Sergeant Singleton is still proud of his team's performance.

"I had a great two-man in Airman Olson and a great three-man in Airman Devarie," he said. "I know I can rely on them to do their job and do it right the first time."

The competition does more than increase the Airmen and unit's morale, it focuses the Airmen on doing their job to the best of their abilities.

"Events like this are important because they build comradery with the people you work with and the other AMUs on the base," Sergeant Singleton said. "(These competitions) give you an idea on how your crews will do under a little pressure. They push other people to try and do better so they can say they won that award."

A lot goes into planning this competition.

"You can't have events and good load crews without the help of the weapons standardization section and all the people who work up there," Sergeant Singleton said. "There are a bunch of good guys up there who take the time to train us the right way on how to do the things we do. Without them you would have a bunch of guys running around loading with no clue."

The winners earned more than bragging rights, they took home the quarterly traveling trophy, engraved plaques, certificate of recognition and received a three-day pass.