AMMOS graduates expand combat capability Published April 22, 2014 By Maj Jeremy B. McCraney U.S. Air Force Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Operations School NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- The U.S. Air Force Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Operations School celebrated another milestone recently, graduating its 27th Combat Support Course here April 11. Class 14A is the first 24 student officer class to graduate from the AMMOS since the school opened its doors in 2002. Before Class 14A the course averaged 16 graduates per class. The graduates, all from various maintenance and munitions units across the Air Force, will go back to their units to produce, mentor and advise others in all aspects of effects-based logistics. "The AMMOS is an institution for warriors. Students are selected because they have the greatest potential as graduates to expand combat capability," said Lt. Col. Brian Moore, USAF AMMOS commandant. "We kept their training tough, placed them in nearly impossible scenarios and gave them less time to find solutions than any of them would have wanted. Our school is very challenging for a reason, to ensure that every graduate is prepared to produce combat airpower anytime, anywhere regardless of the operating environment. We know that the graduates of 14A are prepared to meet any challenge." AMMOS came about as a result of experience gained from Operation Allied Force. During the air war, former Air Force Chief of Staff retired General John Jumper, then the United States Air Force Europe commander, noted a need for mid-level logistics officers to have enhanced logistics knowledge similar to what operators receive from the U.S. Air Force Weapons School. In December 2000, a CORONA task directed the development of advanced logistics officer training and in June 2001, General Jumper, then Air Combat Command commander, approved the "stand up" of the school at Nellis AFB, as a part of the 57th Wing. The school's mission is to train selected mid-level captain logisticians in the integration of expeditionary logistics processes at the tactical level. The CSC provides mid-level captains the ability to produce combat airpower, execute mission requirements, educate others, and develops an expeditionary mentality focused on winning today's wars while preparing to fly, fight, and win the wars of tomorrow. The seven-week course has taught the 24 students leadership, critical thinking, the operational art of maintenance, fleet health management, the importance of mission readiness, sortie generation, flying hour program planning and execution, munitions operations and logistics command and control to build a firm foundation for their future endeavors. That foundation will allow the graduates of AMMOS CSC Class 14A to meet and shape the challenges of tomorrow. "I am extremely proud of this CSC class. The students came together as a strong team and mastered maintenance tactics, techniques and procedures. I am looking forward to hearing back from these graduates as to how they are applying what they learned at AMMOS to their home station jobs. I am sure they will enhance the maintenance community by fulfilling their AMMOS graduate roles of being producers, mentor, and advisors," said Major Jennifer Gurganus, USAF AMMOS director of operations. To mark the occasion, Brig. Gen. Christopher Short, 57th Wing commander, served as the graduation guest speaker. He addressed the graduates in saying: "AMMOS graduates are already recognized as subject matter experts at mobilization, deployment and redeployment, bed down, sustainment, combat employment and reconstitution," Short said. "Commanders will look to AMMOS graduates to have the answer, the acknowledged TTP to overcome the challenge and more likely, look to the AMMOS graduate to critically think through the problem and develop a solution that satisfies the requirement." Graduating from the USAF CSC, Class 14A: Capt. Sean Allen Little Rock AFB, Ark. Capt. Anthony Bryant Joint Base San Antonio, Texas Capt. Eric Burke JB Andrews, Md. Capt. Jermaine Campbell March Air Reserve Base, Calif. Capt. Lindsay Christopherson Holloman AFB, N.M. Capt.Christopher Clark Tinker AFB, Okla. Capt. Daniel Connors Sheppard AFB, Texas Capt. Robert Dunphy Creech AFB, Nev. Capt. Daniel Gebhardt Kirtland AFB, N.M. Capt. Jeremiah Gottberg McConnell AFB, Kan. Capt. Michelle Knauf Buckley AFB, Colo. Capt. Michael Lasher Eileson AFB, Ala. Capt. Daryl Mccoy Kadena Air Base, Japan Capt. Deanna Mcdonald Hurlburt Field, Fla. Capt. Galen Mcrae Whiteman AFB, Mo. Capt. David Mueller Cannon AFB, N.M. Capt. Richard Palz Nellis AFB, Nev. Capt. David Rhodes JB Charleston, S.C. Capt. Michael Rivera Spangdahlem AB, Germany Capt. Jennifer Rogers Hill AFB, Utah Capt. Stephen Rose Tyndall AFB, Fla. Capt. Brock Sargent Camp Darby, Italy Capt. Justin Shetter Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. Capt. Ryan White Robins AFB, Ga.
