Aviation Ordnanceman (abbreviated as
AO) is a
United States Navy occupational
rating.
Aviation Ordnancemen operate and handle aviation ordnance equipment. They are responsible for the maintenance of
guns,
bombs,
torpedoes,
rockets, and
missiles. Their duties include the stowing, issuing, and loading of
munitions and
small arms. There are three different types of Ordnanceman, "O" Level, Ship's Company, and "I" Level. O-Level ordnanceman are attached to different
squadrons ashore and afloat. They perform loading/downloading operations on various types of aircraft as well as maintenance on bomb racks, missile launchers, and other aircraft componants. Ship's Company AO's work either down in the magazines below decks or up on the flight deck of
aircraft carriers. They perform the actual assembly of
bombs in large magazines below decks and are in charge of inventory of all the weapons on the
flight deck whether they are loaded on aircraft or stored behind the island. I Level ordnancemen work in the Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Departments on ships at sea or in facilities ashore. They perform such tasks as testing and checking bomb racks and missile launchers for issuing to various squadrons and fix discrepancies noted by squadron personnel. Aviation Ordnancemen are a close knit community and one of the few ratings in the Navy to have their own association, the Association of Aviation Ordnancemen. Their official slogan is IYAOYAS meaning "If you ain't ordnance, you ain't shit". One of the most famous ordnancemen is
Chief Petty Officer Aviation Ordnanceman
John Finn,
Medal of Honor recipient for his actions at Pearl Harbor on
December 7th 1941.
