Standing up the first-of-its-kind CMCC

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Melissa Dearstone
  • 75th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah --  Hill Air Force Base stood up the first-of-its-kind Consolidated Munitions Control Center where personnel who work in the Munitions and Missile Storage areas are able to track all of their explosives from one location and ensure the safety of everyone working in the MAMS area.

MAMS is primarily used to store and safeguard a variety of missile and munitions components, the majority of which include explosives. The personnel working within the MAMS are responsible for inspecting, handling, maintaining and refurbishing these components.

Each organization working within the MAMS area has their own unique mission. The personnel working in MAMS do anything from supporting the fighter wings' flying schedules with munitions, to overhauling and sustaining of rocket motors for the intercontinental ballistic missile fleet, to operating a large stateside munitions storage area and depot for conventional munitions.

"At a typical Air Force base, all of these operations would be performed by a single organization," said Lt. Adam Barr, 649th Munitions Systems Flight commander. "At Hill, the personnel working in the MAMS belong to two different major commands and five different organizations which include; the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings, 309th Missile Maintenance Group, 519th Combat Sustainment Squadron and 649th Munitions Squadron."

For many years these control sections worked independently from each other. The sections excelled at coordinating and controlling within their organization, but critical information that should have been communicated between the units would sometimes not move across squadron boundaries.

"By standing up the CMCC, all the organizations are able to immediately notify all their organizations of emergencies and ensure the safety of all personnel working within the area no matter what organization they are with," said Craig Ahrens, CMCC chief.

Barr said that within a few weeks of standing up the CMCC the controllers learned a great deal about each other's missions and unique challenges and it allowed them the opportunity to de-conflict hazardous operations and collectively ensure the safety and well-being of everyone working within the MAMS areas.

The CMCC was housed in a temporary location until December 2010 when it was relocated to the 388th's newly completed munitions flight supervision building. The CMCC is equipped with over $820 thousand in new furniture, state-of-the-art communication and monitoring equipment and plenty of workstation space.

Barr said that thanks to the efforts of munitions professionals across the base, MAMS area emergency management procedures are fully integrated and the efficiency and productivity of each organization's control capability has vastly increased.