When we think about the Air Force, do we ever really consider just how much goes into the complex world that makes it all run smoothly? Who are the individuals behind it, and how do they stay on their toes when working on such sophisticated technology?
Well, we recently had the opportunity to speak with Jack, an Aircraft Armament Technician in the Air Force. His journey from high school to a pivotal role in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) is a huge insight for those who might want to follow his footsteps.
Jack's daily routine as an Aircraft Armament Technician is far from conventional. His day commences with a maintenance brief, outlining the operational requirements for the day ahead. His responsibilities include prepping and loading countermeasures such as chaff and flares, handling missiles and bombs, and conducting maintenance on the gun systems of F/A-18F Super Hornets.
Additionally, he is involved in refuelling operations and ensuring that ejection seats are safe and working properly. These duties play a crucial role in supporting Air Force missions from the ground, and ensuring they run smoothly.
"The dynamic nature of the work means no two days are the same," Jack says.
"It's extremely exciting. You never know what the next day is going to bring."
But make no mistake — his work goes far beyond what you might see on the flightline. It also involves lots of processes within specialised facilities to prepare munitions and manage explosive ordnance. That all might seem overwhelming, but Jack assures us that, going into the Air Force, his skills were nowhere compared to what they are now. In fact, he says that 95% of his skills were acquired through fully paid on-the-job training, and all that training has led to exciting memories that Jack might’ve never been able to experience otherwise. His role in the Air Force means he gets to undergo significant professional development, and with that comes truly unique experiences and opportunities.
One of Jack's most memorable moments was flying in the back seat of one of the world's most advanced fast jets, the F/A-18F Super Hornet.
"It's so hard to explain the experience," he reflected. "It was honestly like a dream come true."
His career has also provided exciting opportunities for overseas travel. A standout moment was his deployment to Japan, where he was able to to work alongside American and Japanese counterparts.
"It was really cool. They definitely do things a little different to us, but we learnt a lot and they did as well".
Although Jack’s job can be busy he prioritises maintaining a clear balance between work and personal life — using workouts as a time to decompress.
Jack also stresses that the bonds you form within your team in the Air Force is, well, everything — "the mateship and the people around you are everything.”
And those bonds make celebrating the team’s accomplishments even better. Additionally, Jack gets to witness the successful deployment of the munitions he has prepared and loaded, and watch aircraft return safely. With that, he and his team get the gratification that they accomplished the mission at hand — there’s no reward like knowing you’ve done good work, after all.
“Knowing that every day is a different day — I do love my job," Jack says. "It's such a good job."
Taking the leap into the Air Force might be intimidating, but Jack’s advice is to, "Just give it a go. You never know what will happen."
Take it from Jack who gave it a go. The result? “I absolutely loved it.”
Jackson Langford