Capt Sydney Pfeffer

Introduction

When the Warfighter needs munitions to support flying hour program requirements, you stereotypically overhear aircraft maintenance and weapons loaders use the phrase, “Waiting on AMMO,” to justify a strain on the timeline or as casual banter between career fields. But what about during contingency or wartime operations? What entities are available to supply swing stock munitions worldwide and how do we get them to their final destination?

Positioned at Hill AFB, the 649th Munitions Squadron (MXS) is home to one of those distinct capabilities. The exclusive Standard Air Munitions Package (STAMP) mission, is a unique and rapidly deployed competency that aides the global Warfighter in immediate transport and resupply of assets to any and all regional theaters. Specializing in the palletization of munitions for airlift, these STAMP members do not build bombs that support a flightline, instead they build pallets that support universal munition air cargo movements. When the stockpile is running low, the DoD has contingency efforts in place to ensure a speedy refill of assets within a numbered timeframe. When your bombs, missiles, tail kits, and everything else arrives to your Area of Responsibility as swing stock, it is likely that at some point, they all passed through the 649 MXS’ Munitions Storage Area or “bomb dump”. Feeding into the river of resupply, STAMP is one viable stream that is “niche in nature”, but in high demand for asset requisitions.

How Does It Work?

With the intention to deliver swift movement of munitions packages to all military services and allies, STAMP is primed to execute taskings at moment’s notice for all defense assets and their air cargo configurations.  The source that governs this function falls under the Air Force Lifecycle Management Center’s Global Ammunition Control Point (GACP) . The GACP houses various cells within its organization, one of which is the STAMP cell, with the specific responsibility of managing the STAMP capability and its taskings.

Although the STAMP function has not been employed since 2019, it is exercised in almost every large scale 649 MXS requisition, meaning it is practiced often and to the same degree as real-world operations. When a requisition request comes through GACP’s STAMP cell, it is then channeled to 649 MXS for coordination. Following the GACP and unit synchronization, STAMP begins building aircraft pallets for whatever asset the customer ordered. It may sound unassuming, but behind the scenes STAMP is arranging land transport, alternate mission equipment availability, Special Airlift Assignment Missions (SAAMs), and aligning efforts with the 75th Logistics Readiness Squadron’s Air Transportation Function. The efforts are well-oiled and often within 72-hours or less, the jet successfully departs enroute to aid the Warfighter. The logistical effort is substantial but deserving of recognition as we move toward the Great Power Competition (GPC) in a contested environment.

Maintainers or Logisticians?

Are the STAMP Airmen considered munitions maintainers or logisticians? The short answer… yes. The broad definition of a Munitions Systems Specialists is to inspect, handle, and assemble all things munitions related.  It is widely known that all maintainers are logistics professionals, but the typecast maintainer is on the flightline turning wrenches and the archetypal logistician is ensuring transportation or equipping of material and personnel. For the non-standard role of STAMP, it is a harmonious mixture of both. Warranting weapon system knowledge and air cargo management skills, STAMP members must have mutual expertise.

Cohesion amongst STAMP and the 75th Logistics Readiness Squadron is an absolute necessity. STAMP is unable to accomplish these movements without the aid and assist from the Air Transportation Function. While STAMP preps the pallets, Air Transport loads the jets, but both teams have dual-hatted the roles to ensure mission success. STAMP blurs the line of what a characteristic AMMO troop is and does, but this distinct role enhances the “Mission Over Function” mindset and produces Airmen with multiple competencies. The flexibility of STAMP demonstrates massive potential and endless room for expansion, and these dynamic members are armed with several skillsets outside their specialty code that serve the Warfighter, whether they are labelled as maintainers or logisticians.

Future Application

Balancing the Air Force’s only depot-level conventional activity and STAMP, 649 MXS ensures the men and women of the unit are properly trained and equipped to uphold peacetime and wartime operations. Endorsing the diversity of an AMMO troop is integral to keeping up with the strategic landscape of GPC. Traditional warfighting is evolving, and munitions packages must be readily available in all theaters at any time. STAMP is a leading example of executing these rapid requests. Thorough preparation and prepositioning are essential, but STAMP and similar mission sets are imperative to aiding resupply efforts.

Also seen at Kadena AB, 18th Munitions Squadron, under the name of Tactical Air-Munitions Rapid Response Package (TARRP), sustaining fast resupply of munitions during wartime is becoming an indispensable capability. Like STAMP, TARRP’s forte is moving assets forward within the INDOPACOM theater until resupply can be establish. Similarly, Ramstein AB provides coverage for their respective region. To align with Great Power Competition and the shift from hubs to dispersed forward operating locations, having logistics professionals with palletized munitions experience at the hubs would be highly valuable in forward-deploying assets to these detached sites. Furthermore, the presence of STAMP and TARRP experts on-site will promote the Mission Ready Airmen notion, with a versatile skillset serving maintenance and logistics alike. This methodology can be employed to potentially avoid logistics under attack, backing the operational Agile Combat Employment concept.

Conclusion

Drawing attention to STAMP and how far this capability can go is the focal point of this article. Many military logistics professionals are unfamiliar with the service STAMP provides and how impactful the 649 MXS is to the Air Force, sister services, and Foreign Military Sales. The unit’s mission is spot-on, “Providing Worldclass Munitions to the Warfighter,” but that is not solely referencing STAMP. Also supporting the Air Force’s Cartridge and Propellant Actuated Devices shipment mission, 649 MXS is continually operating and strives for timely deliveries of munitions and explosives, and worldwide customer satisfaction. With the near-peer adversarial threat, 649 MXS is constantly priming STAMP and all unit members to execute their unique capability with GPC at the forefront of their mind. The niche mission of STAMP is quickly growing, and requisitions are increasing daily, but STAMP is postured to get all bombs, missiles, and bullets to their final destination, so that way nobody is ever, “Waiting on AMMO.”

About the Author

Capt Sydney Pfeffer is currently the Director of Operation for the 649th Munitions Squadron at Hill AFB, following her assignment as an Education with Industry (EWI) Fellow at General Atomics – Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California. Her previous assignment includes Regional Detachment OIC for the ICBM Field Training Detachments and OIC at the 90th MXG, F.E. Warren AFB. She studied Public Relations at Texas State University and has a Master’s in Organizational Leadership. She can be contacted at sydney.pfeffer.2@us.af.mil.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the US Government.