12 Moody Airmen qualifying to inspect munitions worth $48 million

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Brigitte N. Brantley-Sisk
  • 23rd Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  A group of Airmen from the 23rd Equipment Maintenance Squadron's munitions flight are currently participating in a course that will make them an even more valuable asset to their unit.

The completion of the Air Combat Command Mobile Inspection Course will mean there are now 12 more Airmen who are qualified to inspect the more than 2,200 line items of munitions worth nearly $48 million here.

Although the course is sometimes held at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, having an instructor come to a group of people saves the Air Force resources.

"It saves the government money and manpower when one man travels to where the group of students is as opposed to the group traveling to where the instructor is," said Master Sgt. James Monigold, 23rd EMS munitions flight senior munitions inspector. "We also make sure the group being trained is properly qualified. Each student must be recommended by their supervisor and flight leadership, and be at least a journeyman skill level."

The three-week Air Combat Command Mobile Inspection Course was part classroom training and part hands-on skills application.

"The purpose of this course is to help train munitions personnel to understand the process for inspecting different types of munitions," said Sergeant Monigold. "Because our job is inherently dangerous, safety is always one of our biggest concerns in everything we do, especially inspectingthe munitions."

After two weeks of classroom training, the students are tested on their knowledge of how to perform six separate munitions inspections.

The first three types are shipping, receiving and returned, which verify the munitions are safe and usable when leaving to go or coming back from somewhere, including after being lent to another unit.

The next two kinds of inspections are storage monitoring, which verified the munitions are in the same shape as when they were first stored, and periodic inspections, which are done on a regular timetable. The final type is special inspections, which aren't on a set schedule and may be requested because of irregularities with a certain piece of equipment.

"All of the types of inspections are important to do because a single person can be responsible for identifying an issue," said Senior Airman Anthony Woodard, 23rd EMS munitions flight stockpile surveillance crew member and a student in the course. "That result can end up helping save the Air Force millions of dollars or more importantly, lives. This course is a step in the right direction of helping make us qualified to perform them."

While the course is the first step in helping them become qualified, they have several other steps they must take before receiving their inspector letter for Moody.

"The course is just the beginning of what a munitions inspector must accomplish," said Sergeant Monigold. "First, each Airman must complete the Air Force qualification training plan. After successfully completing the actual course, they then must complete one over-the-shoulder inspection with an assigned trainer, the senior munitions inspector and finally for the quality assurance section."

Next is an inspector interview with the munitions chief. Finally, after an eight-month period of on-the-job training that begins with course completion, they will be considered qualified to handle these valuable assets.