AFMC Command News

Father and son blow up ordnance together

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Cassandra Locke
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFMCNS) --  While Chief Master Sgt. Julio Morelos and his son Staff Sgt. Julio Morelos III have enjoyed watching football and playing sports together throughout life, they found a new way to bond while deployed together.

The father and son duo worked together on an Explosive Ordnance Disposal demolition operation here helping destroy more than 80,000 pieces of explosive hazards and ordnance.

"I am very proud and honored to be able to serve alongside with my son. While as a father you do not want your family members to be in harms way, I take comfort in knowing that the Air Force will do everything possible to keep him and the rest of our Airmen safe," Chief Morelos said.

Chief Morelos, EOD program manager with the Combined Air Operations Center, said the setup required a lot of manual labor and they worked closely with unloading the items and setting up the detonations. The chief's role was to oversee the set up of items and help with safety oversight. Sergeant Morelos, 379th Civil Engineer Squadron engineering assistant with Service contracts, helped with the preparations. The sergeant helped unload, sort and place the munitions and explosives, then covered it all with C-4 and flares.

"The most rewarding aspect of my deployment here has been that as a chief, it has been a privilege and a joy to observe a young NCO develop and practice those quality Air Force traits. Those traits molded my son into an outstanding NCO with a bright future," Chief Morelos said.

The chief said all explosive components had to be set up very precisely to ensure they would add to the explosive detonation and be consumed.

"The last thing you need with this type of operation is kick-outs, as it makes for a long day and unsafe environment," he added.

This deployment has given them an opportunity to spend more time with each other then they are used to.

"I will say though that as ironic as it may sound we had to deploy to spend our first Thanksgiving and Christmas together in five years," said Chief Morelos.

Sergeant Morelos enjoyed spending the holidays with his father.

"I haven't spent the holidays home in four years, so it's kind of ironic that finally I get to spend one with my dad while being deployed," said Sergeant Morelos. "Of course having my pops around for the holidays was nice, but I enjoyed being able to watch the Dallas Cowboys with him on Sundays the most."

Sergeant Morelos said he and his father have had many opportunities to spend time together while on an assignment in Korea, Italy, Germany and England.

Chief Morelos is deployed from Tyndall AFB, Fla. Sergeant Morelos is deployed from Eglin AFB, Fla.

Chief Morelos said now that his son is just around the corner, they visit each other frequently.

"I guess you could say it has become a family affair," said Chief Morelos. "We have become accustomed to traveling and working alongside each other."