As a Squadron Ordnance Technicians, an Aviation Ordnanceman (AO) performs maintenance and weapons loading/downloading on both rotary-wing (helicopters) and fixed-wing aircraft. AO sailors also inspect and maintain airborne weapons and Armament Weapons Support Equipment (AWSE); this includes everything from guns (and associated equipment), small arms, and ammo to weapons Aircraft Armament Equipment and aerial-towed target equipment. They also performing loading and downloading of aerial mines, countermeasure equipment, sonobuoys, pyrotechnic devices, air-launched torpedoes, guided munitions and air-launched, and gun ammunition.
At higher paygrades (E6 and E7), Squadron Ordnance Technicians’ management and supervision tasks include briefing personnel on explosive and weapons safety; conducting boards for the qualification and certification of explosive handling; coordinating the disposal of explosive ordnance; managing ordnance and ammunition inventories and their inspection; managing the teams that arm and de-arm ordnance and aircraft; and overseeing weapons loads plans, to name just a few.
An especially important role they play involves the management of Non-Combat Expenditure Allocation (NCEA). Miscalculating the NCEA could result in too much ammunition or ordnance being used for training and testing purposes, which subsequently could have severe consequences should a combat situation arise that necessitates prolonged use of those items.
CWO Aviation Ordnance Technician Hard Shoulder Boards
CWO Aviation Ordnance Technician Soft Epaulets
CWO Aviation Ordnance Technician Sleeve Device