18th MUNS prepares for PACAF exercise

by Airman 1st Class Hailey Davis
18th Wing Public Affairs

2/26/2013 - KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- The 18th Munitions Squadron is preparing for a Pacific Air Forces-wide exercise scheduled for March 3-8.

The combat ammunition production exercise is an annual PACAF non-rated exercise that involves 18th MUNS and seven bases within PACAF, and the U.S., to employ an operation plan for air-to-ground missions.

"Most of our missions are air to air, and our (personnel) do not have the experience of building bombs for air-to-ground missions," 1st Lt. Richard Danaher, 18th MUNS CAPEX project officer, said. "That's where bringing in people from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, come into play. We actually get to build bombs (and practice) the roles that would happen in any type of war-time effort."

Participating with other units whose mission is to provide air-to-ground munitions is key during CAPEX.

"Being an air-to-air unit, we don't touch a lot of the different functions throughout our day-to-day operations," said Master Sgt. Lance Andrews, 18th MUNS production flight chief. "CAPEX rolls in different (scenarios) that would require us to generate these types of air-to-ground (bombs)."

Danaher added that validating a munitions employment plan is also important if, during a wartime effort, reinforcements were to come to Kadena. CAPEX allows ammunition personnel to receive training necessary to provide inbound force aircraft with the ammunition they need to carry out a mission.

"This is (also) a true celebration of the ammo troop's capability to provide to the warfighter," said Chief Master Sgt. Melvin Jobe, 18th MUNS squadron superintendent. "Although we're testing our capability to support PACAF as they head into the fight, this is the celebration of what ammo troops provide to the fight."

The chief, along with Danaher, added that many other units around Kadena provide services and support for CAPEX, such as the 18th Force Support Squadron and 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron.

"This is a Team Kadena effort," Danaher said. "Everyone from billeting and communications have helped aid us to bring (the supporting units to Kadena)."