AMC TEAM WEAPONS SAFETY AWARD
By STAFF WRITER
60 AMW WEAPONS SAFETY OFFICE
TRAVIS AFB, CA
THE WEAPONS SAFETY OFFICE OF THE 60th AIR MOBILITY WING, Travis Air Force Base (AFB), CA, is being presented with this year’s Air Mobility Command (AMC) Team Weapons Safety Award.
Through base-wide outreach, the Weapons Safety Office identified novel opportunities to expand munitions support capability at Travis AFB without creating additional risk or violating the installation’s easement. They subsequently submitted 19 Explosives Site Plans to surge munitions storage by 10 million pounds, supporting emergent U.S. Transportation Command requirements. They deployed a member to the largest expeditionary wing in the world, leading the Air Force’s largest Force Protection Flight to provide seamless mission support to Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and SPARTAN SHIELD. Leveraging deployed lessons learned, the team revitalized wing-wide risk assessment programs to guide the resolution of 135 recommendations with 18 unit commanders, preventing $458,000 in mishap costs.
The team reviewed $195 billion in contracts to support the arrival of the KC-46 at Travis AFB. Their timely coordination and approval of new facility licenses, unit explosives safety programs, and programmatic oversight requirements assured the on-time delivery of AMC’s newest major weapon system to the base.
During an installation design charette, the Weapons Safety Office identified numerous mission-critical considerations, clarified Department of Defense Explosive Safety Board requirements, eliminated wasteful lightning protection requests, and expedited approval of timely strategic missile support to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. The team identified a critical, maximum-credible-event shortfall affecting installation explosives handling, leading them to spearhead new pallet building operations with the Aerial Port. Their direction was vital to eliminating handling violations, bolstering safeguards and protective measures, and ensuring local populace safety.
The Wing Weapons Safety Managers, MSgt Mark M. Kenyon, Jr. and TSgt David J. Lowe, led coordination to secure Wing Commander approval of a 100,000-pound increase for net explosive weight allowances. Their technical precision, problem-solving, and inclusive staffing guaranteed seamless support from Travis AFB to project lethal effects into all theaters and areas of responsibility. Also, as the Wing’s premier explosives team, the Weapons Safety Managers coordinated full installation support to 11 time-critical and President-directed munitions movements consisting of 84 airlift missions and 92,000 tons of war materiel. Their knowledge, insight, and leadership strengthened the North American Treaty Organization’s eastern flank while resourcing Ukraine’s fight for sovereignty.