The Marine Corps needs ammunition to function. Every day hundreds of thousands of munitions from small arms to heavy-duty artillery are accounted for, packed up, and shipped across the world by ammunition technicians.
Ammunition Technicians are a small Marine community who use their incredible sense for attention to detail to protect Marines in harm’s way by providing them with the essential items they need to accomplish their mission effectively.
This year the Marine Corps Association & Foundation and Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC) recognized four outstanding individuals from the ammunition community at the 4th Annual Ammo Tech Reception on 22 May.
“The Marines that will come before you this evening have exhibited an exceptionally noteworthy performance,” said LtCol Rob Emminger, MCSC’s Deputy Program Manager for Ammunition. “They have consistently demonstrated abilities and MOS knowledge above what is expect of an ammunition technician or officer of their grade.”
The competition for the GySgt Edwin W. Johnson, Jr., Memorial Ammunition Technician of the Year Award and the Ammunition Officer of the Year Award is fierce. The four awardees competed against 1,447 other Marines for their titles.
“I was truly honored to be recognized with this award,” said GySgt James Cullen, Ammunition Technician SNCO of the Year. “To be pulled aside from my peers and the rest of the Marine Corps ammunition community is quite an honor and it is very humbling.”
The Ammo Tech awards are given through MCA&F’s Marine Excellence Awards Program, which strives to provide Marines with the incentive to do well in their professional military education and to recognize their superior and leadership efforts. Last year, MCA&F gave awards to 10,900 Marines and Sailors.
“MCA exists so we can tell our story as a Corps, but also so we that we can tell the story of Marines,” said Marine Corps Systems Command Commander BGen Francis Kelley.
This year’s reception was attended by Marines from all walks of life, including 136 Ammunition Technician students from the Marine Detachment in Ft. Lee, Va. The students rode buses supplied by MCA&F to the event so they could witness firsthand the excellence that exists in the ammo tech career field.
“What is unique about our community is how we grow our own,” Emminger told the young Marines. “I challenge each of you to strive every day to perform at a level that warrants recognition.”
However, Capt David Blann, Ammunition Officer of the Year, believes his award was not based solely on his efforts.
“Like I told the Marines before I took off, behind every successful company commander and battalion commander there is a whole lot Marines working their butts off,” Blann said.
BGen Kelley also spoke on behalf of the awardees and commended them for their initiative.
“These four didn’t just come into work everyday and do their jobs,” Kelley said. “They looked for ways to improve the process.”
The award the enlisted Marines receive is given as a testament to GySgt Edwin W. Johnson’s actions while in Afghanistan.
Johnson’s team was ambushed and he kept the enemy from closing in by providing suppressive fire for his team while being injured. He continued to fight bravely and continued to hold his position until he was mortally wounded.
He was awarded a Bronze Star with a “V” for his actions.
Biographies for Award Recipients:
Lance Corporal Shakeesha A. Bradley
Pittsburgh native LCpl Shakeesha A. Bradley was chosen for the 2012 GySgt Edwin W. Johnson, Jr., Memorial Ammunition Technician of the Year Award out of 570 other junior enlisted Marines.
Bradley joined the Marines in July 2011 because of the reputation the military branch had for excellence.
“I’ve always wanted to be in the Marine Corps,” Bradley said. “They always looked the hardest and the best.”
Bradley has taken the Corps’ values of honor, courage and commitment to heart and has modeled her actions by them from day one when she raised her right hand.
After recruit training, Bradley was sent to the ammunition technician school where she graduated from the course with a GPA of 96.5 percent. Her academic achievement earned her a Meritorious Mast, an award given to Marines who show considerable initiative and perform above the call of duty.
Bradley is now assigned to 1st Supply Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group at Camp Pendelton, Calif.
When she first arrived to her unit she was assigned to Section One, the most demanding section at the ammunition supply point.
“It’s the most demanding section because those are the most common rounds we use, which is the 5.56 for the M16 rifles,” Bradley said. “There is a lot of training that goes on with those rifles.”
After being there only a month, she was moved to the Records Section and became the go-to Marine for people seeking answers.
Through all the challenges she faced at work, Bradley still found time to participate in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program where she earned her green belt. To achieve the green belt, 25 hours of training must be completed as well as showing a detailed understanding of the fundamentals.
“The program just added on to the discipline that I already got from boot camp,” Bradley said.
Bradley took that additional discipline and applied it to her job, which resulted in her earning another Meritorious Mast award for her performance during an Explosive Safety Inspection.
Her commitment to the Marine Corps and her job resulted in her being chosen to be ammunition technician of the year.
“I was really happy, excited, shocked and just really honored,” Bradley said. “I felt really privileged that they chose me to represent my company and MOS.”
Sergeant Antonio J. Milord
Sgt Antonio J. Milord has been meritoriously promoted and a distinguish honor graduate twice in his career already, so it may not be a surprise that he was also chosen for the 2012 GySgt Edwin E. Johnson, Jr., Memorial Ammunition Technician NCO of the Year Award.
“It’s a pretty esteemed award in our MOS, so I was pretty glad I was able to represent our community,” Milord said.
The Winchester, Va., native joined the Marines in September 2010 and went to recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C.
After his recruit training, Milord attended Ammunition Technician School at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala., where he finished as the distinguished honor graduate of his class.
Milord said the most rewarding part of his job as an ammunition tech is helping the Marine Corps issue ammunition.
“They are able to fight because we are giving them the tools to do that,” Milord said.
In March 2011, Milord was assigned to Ammunition Company, 1st Supply Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 15, 1st Marine Logistics Group, Camp Pendleton, Calif. His determination and hard work resulted in him being quickly promoted to Corporal meritoriously.
In June 2012, Milord went to the 1st Marine Logistics Group Corporal’s Course, where he also graduated as the distinguished honor graduate of his class.
That September, Milord was deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan where he served as the Ammunition Records Chief for the Munitions Supply Area.
“You are still issuing ammunition to the units,” Milord said. “But it’s more critical out there, not just training, but that’s somebody’s life on the line.”
While deployed, Milord won the Regimental and I MEF NCO of the Quarter board. Milord was also nominated, and won, the Combat Meritorious promotion to Sergeant while serving in Afghanistan.
Gunnery Sergeant James E. Cullen
GySgt James E. Cullen was chosen for the 2012 GySgt Edwin W. Johnson, Jr., Memorial Ammunition Technician SNCO of the Year Award for Distinguished Service because of his dedication to his field.
“I am truly honored to be recognized with this award,” Cullen said. “We have an extremely professional community … and to be pulled aside from my peers and the rest of the Marine Corps Ammunition Community is quite an honor.”
Cullen has been an Ammunition Technician for over 19 years, and believes his field to be a very critical element of supply.
“We serve in both a more traditional supply role, as well as on the front lines in direct support of the infantry units, artillery units and others,” Cullen said.
Cullen joined the Corps in 1994. He attended recruit training at MCRD San Diego, and reported for Ammunition Technician training at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.
His first duty station was 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines in Hawaii. He received an Honorable Discharge in 1999, and was assigned to a Reserves Unit in Tampa, Fla. He reentered the active duty Marine Corps in 1999.
Since then, he has served in a variety of positions from Platoon Sergeant to the Officer in Charge of the Al Asad Field Ammunition Supply Point in Iraq. Currently, Cullen is assigned to Combat Development and Integration, Combat Development Directorate, Logistics Integration Division.
“During my career as an Ammunition Technician, versatility has been the most critical thing I have learned,” Cullen said.
Captain David B. Blann
Capt David B Blann was awarded the 2012 Ammunition Officer of the Year Award for Exceptional Management.
Blann enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1993. During his military career, Blann has been an enlisted Marine, a Warrant Officer, and a Commissioned Officer.
“The biggest difference that I’ve seen is as a … Chief Warrant Officer and a Captain you make policy,” Blann said.
After serving in Okinawa and at Camp Fuji, Japan, Blann returned to the United States and was stationed at Camp Pendleton. During his time with Ammunition Company, 1st Force Service Support Group, he was promoted from Corporal to Sergeant. He also served as the Section Head and Armory NCO in Charge, as well as Platoon Sergeant.
In 1997, Blann reported to Drill Instructor School where he was a DI with Company “G,” 2nd Recruit Training Battalion until 2001.
“He has since made it his business to not only improve the ammo career field, but to help other Marines reach their career field as well,” said Brigadier General Francis Kelley, Commander, Marine Corps Systems Command.
After his tour as a Drill Instructor, Blann reported to 1st Marine Division for duty. During his tour with the division he was assigned to Regimental Combat Team 1 and participated in the March up to Baghdad in 2003.
When Blann came home in 2004, he was appointed to Warrant Officer, and reported to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He remained with at Camp Lejeune until May when he deployed, again, to Iraq.
While serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Blann was promoted to Chief Warrant Officer 2. After his deployment he returned to Camp Lejeune and was assigned as the Explosive Safety Officer for Marine Corps Installations East.
Blann was promoted to Chief Warrant Officer 3 in August 2008, and six months later he was promoted to Captain.
Blann is currently serving as the Ammunition Company Commander for Ammunition Company, 1st Supply Battalion, Combat Logistic Regiment 15.
See Additional pictures HERE
Maj Jim Eddy, USMC (Ret.) is hailing the Marine Corps Association & Foundation name from Minnesota. He submitted a Letter to the Editor to his local paper, the Winona Post. An avid donor, Eddy recognized the Marine Corps Association's Centennial Anniversary and how the MCA has contributed to the Marine Corps throughout 100 years.
