"Load Toads" teach bomb loads to officers

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Alexander Guerrero
  • 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Weapon load crews are normally a work force comprised of enlisted personnel. On Oct. 27, 2014, four lieutenants were given a unique opportunity to experience what it's like to be a weapons load crew member.

Officers from the 7th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron participated in a three-day immersion training course taught by their own weapon load crew Airmen.

Maj. John Adams, 7th AMXS commander, wanted to give his lieutenants a learning experience that he never had.

"This will have an overall positive impact to the Dyess mission," Adams said. "These officers will get a greater understanding as leaders on what it takes to be a load crew member and what is involved."

Overseeing the training was Chief Master Sgt. Wendell Pugh, 7th Bomb Wing weapons manager.

"We had the opportunity to take four lieutenants and give them a peek behind the curtain as to how our load crews get certified," Pugh said. "They get to see what our loaders have to do to come here every month and get recertified to load bombs."

Each officer was assigned a position within the load crew construct and taught the corresponding responsibilities, just as a normal load crew members would be expected to do.

"One of the main things I learned was the different crew positions," said 1st Lt. Christopher Finn, 9th Aircraft Maintenance Unite, officer in charge. "I did not realize our weapons crews had so much they were responsible for."

The officers worked together and with their enlisted instructors to successfully complete their emersion training.

"It was a really good experience," Finn said. "Other officers and I don't normally get a chance to do something like this. It gives us new appreciation for what our load crews do and the issues they run into while on the job."