Weapons Safety Manager

What does a Weapons Safety Manager do?

Serves as key advisor to commanders and supervisors on issues pertaining to explosives, missile, nuclear surety, and directed energy safety. Provides for the safety of personnel, mission, assets, and the environment from hazards associated with ammunition and explosives throughout life cycles.

Duties and responsibilities

• Advises Wing Commanders/equivalent and subordinates on weapons safety matters.
• Evaluates subordinate units' weapons safety programs for compliance and identifies deficiencies on behalf of the Wing Commander.
• Manages the Weapons Safety program, promoting understanding of and compliance with all applicable explosives, missile, nuclear surety, and directed energy safety standards across assigned Air Force units.
• Trains Additional Duty Weapons Safety Representatives on program management responsibilities.
• Develops, conducts, and evaluates local explosives safety training and, where applicable, nuclear surety training.
• Conducts explosives safety inspections of munitions operating facilities and related operations, determines risk mitigation methods, and prepares reports for distribution.
• Conducts investigations into incidents involving explosives, nuclear operations, directed energy weapons, nuclear-certified equipment, and Dull Sword events.
• Applies Quantity Distance rules to prepare plans for new construction, major building alterations, or changes in mission. Approves and issues explosives licenses for locations needing to store small amounts of explosives.
• Compiles and analyzes mishap data, identifies trends, and develops mishap prevention strategies.
• Ensures facility designs and airfield activities meet Air Force and DoD explosives safety criteria through coordination of construction planning and airfield management.
• Reviews requests for deviations from mandatory explosives safety standards, analyzes the adequacy of proposed mitigation measures, and recommends appropriate action.
• Collaborates with the installation spectrum manager and Munitions Accountable Systems Officer to prepare and maintain the installation's Hazards of Electromagnetic Radiation to Ordnance survey package.

Specialty qualifications

Knowledge. Competent knowledge of explosives safety principles, quantity distance rules, hazard divisions and characteristics, etc. is required.

Education. Not used.

Training. For awarding of this SDI, the following training is mandatory:

• Completion of course L3AZR2W071 0C2A, Weapons Safety Manager, within six months of being assigned.
• The Wing Chief of Safety, in coordination with MAJCOM Weapons Safety, will ensure personnel are qualified to perform weapons safety duties.
• MAJCOM-specific WSM training; if applicable, Air Reserve Component Weapons Safety Managers Course.
• For RegAF personnel, attend 3J5ACC2W0X1-001, Advanced Explosives Safety Siting Course, within three years of being assigned. ANG/AFR personnel will locally determine Air Reserve Component Explosive Safety Siting Course attendance.
• 8W100 personnel are highly encouraged to attend safety-related training courses such as: Mishap Investigation Non-Aviation Course, Aircraft Mishap Investigation Course, AMMO-47 Air Force Electrical Explosives Safety Course, AFNWC’s Nuclear Certified Equipment Course and Nuclear Certified Process Course.

Experience. Prior to entry, personnel shall possess a 7-skill level qualification in AFSCs 2W0XX, 2W1XX, or 2W2XX. ANG/AFR will locally determine rank requirement/limitations.

Other. The following are mandatory (may be waived by the Special Duty Manager on case-by-case basis):

• For entry:
• For RegAF, E-5 through E-7 with 3 or more years from current/projected grade HYT. ANG/AFR will locally determine rank requirement/limitations.
• Nominative Chief of Safety's must ensure candidates demonstrate the maturity and ability to operate in an autonomous environment, without direct day-to-day supervision.
• No referral EPBs within the last three reporting periods.
• No record of disciplinary action that resulted in an Article 15 or Unfavorable Information File in the last three years.
• Earn a 75 or above on the most recent fitness test and no failures on any portion within the last 12 months.
• See Attachment 4 for additional mandatory entry requirements.
• For entry and retention, the following are mandatory (may be waived by the Special Duty Manager on case-by-case basis):
• Maintain entry requirements.
• Must attain/maintain training standards and task certifications according to specific duty position training plan(s).
• For retention, personnel who receive a referral EPB, Article 15 action, or Unfavorable Information File will be removed from the position and lose their SDI.
• No recorded evidence of emotional instability, personality disorder, or other unresolved mental health problems.
• No record of substance abuse or financial irresponsibility.
• Must maintain local network access IAW AFI 17-130, Cybersecurity Program Management, and AFMAN 17-1301, Computer Security.
• Maintain continuous eligibility for worldwide deployment and mobilization. Temporary profiles/restrictions do not automatically disqualify personnel from retaining their SDI; however, supervisors will query MAJCOM and/or SDM about the SDI status of personnel non-deployable for more than 365 days.