KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Twice a year, the Airmen of the 18th Munitions Squadron take part in an operation known as a “Call Forward”: a large-scale munitions resupply mission designed to keep Kadena Air Base fully mission-ready.
The operation begins with the arrival of munitions shipped from the continental United States. Once the shipment docks, the 18th MUNS team springs into action: unloading the cargo, inspecting every item to verify quantity and type, and ensuring everything meets strict quality and safety standards.
“This is a complex operation with a lot of coordination involved,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Kyle Turgeon, 18th MUNS storage supervisor. “We have to be fully prepared — knowing when the shipments arrive, having the right equipment in place, and ensuring we have the right personnel to execute each step.”
Once inspected, the munitions are carefully loaded onto transport vehicles and moved to secured storage facilities on base. This process requires seamless coordination with the 7th Air Force, units across Kadena, and various stateside agencies.
Call Forwards are necessary for ensuring the stockpile at Kadena remains properly supplied, and they are just one of the many things the 18th Munitions Squadron is tasked with. The squadron is responsible for properly storing, inspecting, issuing and transporting munitions for units across the installation.
“These munitions are vital to our mission,” said Turgeon. “If we don’t do our job right, others can’t do theirs. We’re a critical link in the chain of events to project Airpower.”
Through Call Forwards and day-to-day operations, the 18th Munitions Squadron ensures the base remains equipped to support joint and allied missions, deter adversaries, and demonstrate the 18th Wing’s ongoing commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.