AMMO
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- Ammo is a common term for ammunition.
In the U.S. Air Force, AMMO is the common nickname for the Munitions Systems Specialist career field, (AFSC 2W0X1, previously 461X0.)
AMMO is responsible for maintaining the Air Force's entire munitions stockpile. Various duties include shipping and receiving, building, testing, operating, protecting, inspecting, storing and performing maintenance on all types of weapons systems, both conventional and nuclear. AMMO troops can also expect to learn to operate and maintain a wide variety of equipment and electronic gear, from 40 foot tractor-trailer combination vehicles and all terrain 10,000 pound forklifts, to small arms weapons, to AGM-65 guidance testing units and computer databases.
Once a new recruit graduates from Air Force Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, he or she is initiated into the world of AMMO during a 9 week school at Sheppard Air Force Base, also in Texas. Upon graduation from tech school, the new AMMO troop either ships to his or her first assignment, or, if their first assignment is overseas, they can opt to take around two weeks of leave before shipping overseas.
Being AMMO is like being in a world separated from the rest of the Air Force. Due to security and obvious safety concerns with the possibility of millions of pounds of explosives accidentally cooking off and damaging a large portion of a base's facilities, the bomb dump is usually isolated from the rest of the workings of that base. At some bases, such as Andersen AFB in Guam, the ride to work can take as long as twenty minutes, compared to 4 or 5 for everyone else on base.
Such isolation, as well as the fact that many people don't realize the extreme danger an AMMO troop faces at work every day while working with tons of explosives, has allowed AMMO to attain its dubious distinction of being the Air Force's hardest drinking, wildest, and most mischievous bunch. Working out of sight often means being out of mind, and this has lead to things often getting done "the AMMO way", versus "the Air Force way". The isolation and dangerous work environment have created a tight bond amongst AMMO troops, and led to the infamous "If You Ain't Ammo, You Ain't Shit!" (IYAAYAS) attitude. The "black sheep" label given AMMO is worn with pride.
AMMO troops can look forward to having opprtunities to get stationed at a wider array of bases than airman in most other career fields in the Air Force, as well as being expected to perform a range of daily duties equally broad.
Duty stations include, but not limited to:
Al Karj, Saudi Arabia; Andersen AFB, Guam; Araxos, Greece; Aviano AB, Italy; Barksdale AFB, Louisiana; Bolling AFB, Maryland; Edwards AFB, California; Eglin AFB, Florida; Elmendorf AFB, Alaska; Eilson AFB, Alaska; Fairchild AFB, Washington; F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming; Hickam AFB, Hawaii; Hill AFB, Utah; Incirlik, Turkey; Kadena AB, Japan; Keesler AFB, Mississippi; Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland; Kunsan AB, South Korea; Lackland AFB, Texas; Little Rock AFB, Arkansas; Malmstrom AFB, Montana; McChord AFB, Washington; Mountain Home AFB, Idaho; Misawa AB, Japan; Minot AFB, North Dakota; Moody AFB, Louisiana; Nellis AFB, Nevada; Offutt AFB, Nebraska; Osan AB, South Korea; Pope AFB, North Carolina; Ramstein AB, Germany; RAF Lakenheath, England; RAF Mildenhall, England; Rhein-Main AB, Germany; Seymore-Johnson AFB, South Carolina; Shaw AFB, South Carolina; Sheppard AFB, Texas; Spangdahlem AB, Germany; Travis AFB, California; Tyndall AFB, Florida; Whiteman AFB, Mo; Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; Yakota AB, Japan.