Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Airmen with the 58th Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew one prepare to load a GBU-31 joint direct attack munition on to an F-35A Lightning II during a qualification load Oct. 10, 2014, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The F-35A is now one step closer to its initial operational capability with the first weapons load crew qualification. The newly qualified crewmembers will continue to hone their skills and become experts at their jobs so they can train the weapons load crews at other bases receiving the F-35A. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Marleah Robertson)141010-F-SI788-244
                        
                        
                        Airmen with the 58th Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew one prepare to load a GBU-31 joint direct attack munition on to an F-35A Lightning II during a qualification load Oct. 10, 2014, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The F-35A is now one step closer to its initial operational capability with the first weapons load crew qualification. The newly qualified crewmembers will continue to hone their skills and become experts at their jobs so they can train the weapons load crews at other bases receiving the F-35A. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Marleah Robertson)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Airman 1st Class Reece Zoller, left, operates an MJ-1 lift truck carrying an AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missile as Staff Sgt. Zachary Watts, center, and Airman 1st Class Robert Hughes, right, guide him during a qualification load Oct. 10, 2014, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The F-35 training program at Eglin AFB currently serves as the primary source of F-35 expertise to new F-35A units across the Air Force. Zoller, Watts and Hughes are load crewmembers from the 58th Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew one. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Marleah Robertson)141010-F-SI788-177
                        
                        
                        Airman 1st Class Reece Zoller, left, operates an MJ-1 lift truck carrying an AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missile as Staff Sgt. Zachary Watts, center, and Airman 1st Class Robert Hughes, right, guide him during a qualification load Oct. 10, 2014, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The F-35 training program at Eglin AFB currently serves as the primary source of F-35 expertise to new F-35A units across the Air Force. Zoller, Watts and Hughes are load crewmembers from the 58th Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew one. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Marleah Robertson)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Airman 1st Class Reece Zoller makes an AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missile safe before loading it onto an F-35A Lightning II during a qualification load Oct. 10, 2014, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The F-35 training program at Eglin AFB currently serves as the primary source of F-35 expertise to new F-35A units across the Air Force. Zoller is a load crewmember from the 58th Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew one. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Marleah Robertson)141010-F-SI788-123
                        
                        
                        Airman 1st Class Reece Zoller makes an AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missile safe before loading it onto an F-35A Lightning II during a qualification load Oct. 10, 2014, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The F-35 training program at Eglin AFB currently serves as the primary source of F-35 expertise to new F-35A units across the Air Force. Zoller is a load crewmember from the 58th Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew one. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Marleah Robertson)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Airman 1st Class Robert Hughes puts the tail fins on to an AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missile after loading it on to an F-35A Lightning II during a qualification load Oct. 10, 2014, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The F-35 training program at Eglin AFB currently serves as the primary source of F-35 expertise to new F-35A units across the Air Force. The newly qualified crewmembers will continue to hone their skills and become experts at their jobs so they can go train the weapons load crews at those bases receiving the F-35A. Hughes is a load crewmember from the 58th Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew one. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Marleah Robertson)141010-F-SI788-360
                        
                        
                        Airman 1st Class Robert Hughes puts the tail fins on to an AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missile after loading it on to an F-35A Lightning II during a qualification load Oct. 10, 2014, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The F-35 training program at Eglin AFB currently serves as the primary source of F-35 expertise to new F-35A units across the Air Force. The newly qualified crewmembers will continue to hone their skills and become experts at their jobs so they can go train the weapons load crews at those bases receiving the F-35A. Hughes is a load crewmember from the 58th Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew one. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Marleah Robertson)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

First F-35A operational weapons load crew qualifiedPublished Oct. 22, 2014
                    
                    By Staff Sgt. Marleah Robertson
                    
                    
                    33rd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
            **EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) --**Three Airmen with the 58th Aircraft Maintenance Unit became the first qualified operational weapons load crew for the F-35A Lightning II during a qualification load here, Oct. 10.
Staff Sgt. Zachary Watts, the 58th AMU crew one load crew chief, leveraged his 10 years of experience loading munitions on F-16 Fighting Falcons to lead his crew through the successful load. Airmen 1st Class Robert Hughes and Reece Zoller, both 58th AMU crew one load crewmembers, joined Watts for the weeklong load drill after completing technical training at the Academic Training Center.
"Before us, there was no weapons capability," Watts said. "We're making it from an airline into the Air Force."
With the first operational weapons load crew qualified, the F-35A is now one step closer to its initial operational capability (IOC).
"We have a total of 10 weapons load crews in the wing," said Senior Master Sgt. Jason Sells, the 33rd Maintenance Group weapons standardization superintendent. "The next step is to bring a new load crew through every month and get them qualified through a weeks' worth of training. Once that happens, each load crew will continually come through every month for proficiency load training."
Sells added that all weapons load crews will be qualified and performing proficiency training within the next six months.
The F-35 training program here currently serves as the primary source of F-35 expertise to new F-35A units across the Air Force. The newly qualified teams will continue to hone their skills and become experts at their jobs so they can go train the weapons load crews at those bases receiving the F-35A.
"We are trying to build the most educated and most proficient F-35A weapons loaders out there," Sells said. "Anything that we can do to help mature the program to get us ready for IOC, that's our big thing. Training is what the 33rd (MXG) is all about - whether it's pilot training or maintenance training, that's what we're doing."Eglin AFB 



AFMC 



ACC 



ammo 



F-35A Lightning II

Related Links
        F-35A Lightning II
                                April 11, 2014
                                The F-35A is the U.S. Air Force’s latest fifth-generation fighter. The F-35A will provide next-generation stealth, enhanced situational awareness, and reduced vulnerability for the United States and allied nations. Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil