Page 6 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt, December 2020

6 December 2020 news http://www.luke.af.mil Thunderbolt Facebook.com/LukeThunderbolt 7
Thunderbolt
December 2020
http://www.luke.af.mil
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Reserve citizen Airmen hold first

loAd cRew competition

by Master Sgt.
LoUiS VegA JR.
944th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 944th
Maintenance Group hosted their first ever
load crew competition here Nov. 8.
Two teams, one assigned to the F-16
Fighting Falcon and the other to the F-35
Lightning II, competed for 944th Load
Crew of the Year bragging rights during
the event.
“Since we have two different styles of
aircraft, we’re one of the few units that can
do an internal wing load competition,” said
Chief Master Sgt. Ralph Thompson, 944th
Maintenance Squadron weapons manager.
“Most other units only have one AMU (Air-
craft Maintenance Unit) they work out of.”
The F-35 team consisted of Staff Sgt.
Joseph Cius, 944th Aircraft Maintenance
Squadron load crew chief, Senior Airman
Jocelyn Zavala and Senior Airman James
Meeks, 944th AMXS armament systems
load crew members. This team competed
with their active-duty counterparts last
year, beating out eight of the best load Staff Sgt. Tyler Bolken
crews at Luke AFB, to become champions Staff Sgt. Joseph Cius (center), 944th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron load crew chief, Senior Airman Jocelyn Zavala (left) and
and was the team to beat in this year’s Senior Airman James Meeks (right), 944th AMXS armament systems load crew members, work together Nov. 8 during the 944th
944th event. Load Crew competition here.

tech. Sgt. nestor Cruz Staff Sgt. Tyler Bolken
Senior Airman Alberto Hernandez, 944th AMXS armament systems load crew mem- 944th Maintenance Group load crew Reserve Citizen Airmen take a written test Nov.
ber, competes Nov. 8, during the 944th Load Crew competition here. 7 as part of the first ever 944th Load Crew competition here.

“It was my first year loading an F-35,” said light on the legacy side over here on the F-16 foreign objects or debris was in their box prior up faster is valuable. There also have to be no
Cius about winning last year’s base event. side,” said Logsdon. “I attribute the victory to to loading; and loading the munitions safely. mistakes. It does us no good if we get there
“It’s the drive, how serious people take it, Hernandez and Olea, we went with the motto, Both crews were selected to compete by faster if the munition doesn’t do what it is
and it is how well everyone performs that ‘slow is smooth, smooth is fast.’” their supervisors based on their evaluations intended to do.”
day. Communication is key.” Load crew competitions are designed to throughout the year, quality assurance sta- Col. Scott Briese, 944th MXG commander,
This year, Cius and his crew were defeated encourage friendly interaction among load tistics and overall work performance. praised Thompson for being instrumental in
by the F-16 team led by Tech. Sgt. Dylan crew members and enable them to display the “They train consistently and must conduct orchestrating the 944th event and shared his
Logsdon, 944th AMXS weapons load crew high skill level at which they operate. Teams monthly MPRLs (Minimum Proficiency vision for future events.
chief, along with Senior Airman Alberto compete by loading a number of weapons Reliability Loads) to retain their certifica- “Next year, we hope to incorporated the
Hernandez and Senior Airman Jonathan onto their respective aircraft in the fastest tions,” said Thompson. “We have to make Fighter Wing’s geographically separated
Olea, 944th AMXS armament systems load time and with the fewest errors. The two sure they’re proficient at every munition we units from Davis-Monthan (A-10 Thunder-
crew members. load crews were graded on a written exam of have on our munitions list. When we are in bolts) and Seymour Johnson Air Force Bases
“They’re a great crew as defending load 25 questions; their Composite Tool Kit — to combat down range we have to be quick and (F-15E Strike Eagles) into the annual 944th
comp champs, but it was nice to shine some make sure all tools were accounted for and no all the time we are saving to get that aircraft FW Weapons Load competition.”