ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE BASE DARWIN, Australia -- With the Marines of Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224 two weeks into their one-month deployment here to participate in Southern Frontier 2003, the squadron?s ordnance technicians are emerging as some of the most valuable Marines here.
Since the focus of Southern Frontier is to provide the squadron's pilots with training opportunities to practice air-to-ground core competency training by expending live ordnance out of the squadron's non-combat allowance, the ordnance technicians have been working around the clock to meet their mission.
"?We have a 26 man shop down here and we usually work in 10-12 hour shifts to make sure the planes are ready to fly," said Lance Cpl. Ryan Hendershott, VMFA(AW)-224 ordnance technician.
Since while deployed to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, under the Unit Deployment Program the ordnance technicians mainly only handle the Captive Air Training Missile 9, a simulation sidewinder, this deployment is also helping them gain experience and keep up their certifications.
"This has been really good practice for us so far," said Hendershott. "Just like the pilots, we have certifications that we need to keep current, and this training is really keeping us on our toes."
To keep the techs on their toes they have been tasked with loading around 30 bombs every day that range from the 500-pound Guided Bomb Unit to the MK-84 2000-pound bomb, as well as 2.75-5 inch rocket pods.
In addition to safely handling these bombs and missiles in accordance to the Marine Corps' standards, the ordnance technicians also have to comply with the Australian regulations.
"There are a few different rules that we have to follow since we are in Australia, but over all as a joint effort our technicians and the Australians are working great together," said Gunnery Sgt. Rodney McFadden, Ordnance Division noncommissioned officer-in-charge. "Overall this has been a great experience for the young Marines to be able to work with an allied nation and prepare for combat if they should ever have to go."