Joint Base Charleston, S.C.
Patriot
Vol. 4, No. 47
Team Charleston – One Family, One Mission, One Fight!
Friday, December 6, 2013
Navy Munitions Command Unit aces inspection
U.S. Air Force photo / Senior Airman Dennis Sloan
Navy Munitions Command Unit Charleston quality assurance inspectors check the condition of the inside of a magazine Nov. 21, 2013, at Joint Base Charleston – Weapons Station, S.C. The quality assurance inspectors make sure the magazines are properly maintained year round and were given a satisfactory during the Explosive Safety Inspection on Nov. 21. See more photos on Page 3.
By Senior Airman Dennis Sloan Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs
INSIDE PROMOTIONS
Joint Base personnel advance See page 5 & 6
WOMEN IN DEFENSE
Military Woman of the Year See page 5
SECURITY
Keep the network safe See page 9
Weekend Weather Update JB CHS, SC
Friday, December 6
Mostly Sunny
(10% precip)
High 78º Low 65º
Saturday, December 7
Showers (40% precip)
High 77º Low 51º
Sunday, December 8
Mostly Cloudy
(20% precip)
High 72º Low 57º
The Navy Munitions Command Unit Charleston successfully passed their Explosive Safety Inspection on Nov. 21, 2013, recording an unprecedented zero discrepancies in three of the four major programs. The inspection included inspectors reviewing 15 separate programs within the unit over the span of five days. "This was an all-hands effort to pass this inspection," said Senior Chief Petty Officer Scott Seevers, NMC Unit Charleston mineman. "Me and all of the senior ranking mineman double and triple checked all inspectable items the night before the inspection to make sure there
were no loose ends." The critical areas of the inspection are called the “4 pillar programs,” which consist of Explosive Qualification and Certification program, Standard Operating Procedures and Inventory Accuracy. "If we received anything other than a satisfactory on a single one of these areas, the entire inspection would be failed," said Petty Officer 1st Class Frank Alvarado, NMC Unit Charleston quality assurance mineman. "Passing the '4 pillar programs,' states that we are capable of handling, transporting, storing and tracking all ordnance in the Navy Munitions Command." The quality assurance mineman are responsible for making sure more than 100 magazines that hold hundreds of millions of dollars of ord-
nance are in compliance and maintained all year long. "Even though we worked longer hours double and triple checking the magazines and programs under review for the inspection, we due this year round on a regular basis," said Alvarado. The inspectors went around to random magazines checking serial numbers, proper storage conditions of ordnance and overall condition of the magazines inside and out. "Our job is to be as critical as possible on the programs, so we can bring every command we inspect to the highest standard possible," said Jim Kaefer, Explosive Safety Inspector. See more photos on Page 3
437th AW wins Meritorious Unit Award, 628th ABW wins Outstanding Unit Award By Senior Airman Dennis Sloan Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs
Air Force, and last year more than 30 alert launches occurred in support of Joint Chiefs of Staff-directed tasking's. "This award not only validates our ability to safely provide precise, reliable airlift worldwide, but it is a true testament to the hard work of the men and women of the 437th," said Col. Darren Hartford, 437th AW commander."
437th Airlift Wing "It is an honor for the 437th AW to receive the Meritorious Unit Award, but it is not surprising," said Capt. Molly Peterson, 437th AW C-17 Globemaster III pilot who wrote the award package. The 437th AW top accomplishments for the year include: more than 5,000 sorties in support of Overseas Contingency Missions. The Wing airlifted 27 percent of the total cargo tasked by Tanker Airlift Control Center in 2012 and maintained an outstanding 94 percent departure reliability rate - far above the Air Mobility Command average. "Also, the humanitarian relief provided in support of Hurricane Sandy was extraordinary," said Peterson. "Four ALPHA alerts were launched for the relief effort, and the 437th Maintenance Group provided maintenance support to more than 40 Sandy relief missions." On the training side, the 437th AW combined its maintenance and operations talents to launch its first large formation exercise in three years 13 aircraft airborne at one time. Overall, more than 600 training events were accomplished, validating the mission. The 437th AW is the number one C-17 Wing in AMC, and maintains the largest Aircrew Flight Equipment Shop. It also has the only C-17 Special Operations Low Level II program in the
628th Air Base Wing The 628th ABW has won an OUA every year since it was established as part of joint basing in 2010. "This is huge for JB Charleston," said Lt. Col. Michael Moyles, 628th Mission Support Group deputy commander who wrote the award package. "Given that our previous award covered 2010 - 2012, this essentially means we've been considered an elite "outstanding unit" at the Air Force level ever since we've been a joint base. The award regulation states that it is awarded for 'outstanding achievement that clearly sets the unit above and apart from similar units,' and that is certainly the case here." The 628th ABW had several major accomplishments throughout the year to include: meeting 92 percent of the Joint Basing Common Output Level Standards during sequestration, furlough and shutdown, as well as completing the well over $40 million dollar runway reconstruction project. "Facing the wettest summer in memory, along with more than 40,000 cubic yards of unsuitable soils that had to be removed and replaced, and doing it all without interrupting traffic flow on the primary runway for both the International Airport and the joint base ... that kind of accomplishment is only possible with seamless partnership and highly effective communication
The 437th Airlift Wing recently received the Air Force Meritorious Unit Award for the period July 1, 2012, through June 20, 2013, and the 628th Air Base Wing was recently presented the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for fiscal year 2012.
across all three Wings and our Charleston County Aviation Authority partners," said Moyles. Several units in the 628th ABW received recognition throughout the year to include: the number one Logistics Readiness Squadron in AMC Gerrity Award, the number one Contracting Squadron Small Business Program in AMC, the number one Physical Therapy clinic in AMC, as well as one of the top environmental and housing management teams in the command. The Air Force also announced Todd Martin as the top Civil Engineer civilian in the entire Air Force. "The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award spans all Wings and all of our mission partners - more than 50 of them. Don't be deceived by the 'Air Force' in the award title - that signifies who grants the award, not who earned it," said Moyles. "We can look at our partners in the 437th MXG with the best non-mission-capable supply rate in the command, or the Naval Munitions Command's incredible 98.4 percent score on their Mine Readiness Certification, or the fact that the 841st Transportation Battalion moved 48 percent of all DOD surface cargo through their port. These are just a few examples of the incredible work of our Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers and Marines, all of which contributed to this award." "The 628th Air Base Wing had a banner year and is more than deserving of this award. I am proud of their efforts in how they provide critical support to our Mission Partners," said Col Jeffrey DeVore, 628th Air Base Wing Commander. "The trick will be how we sustain that level of support our Mission Partners have come to expect from us. I look forward to that challenge in 2014."
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