Photo By Sgt. Micha Pierce | U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Jacob Clark, the quality assurance (QA) chief, Marine Corps Air...... read more read more
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Meet Sgt. Jacob Clark
Military Occupational Specialty: 6541, Aviation Ordnance Systems Technician
Starting his freshman year of high school, Sgt. Jacob Clark, was already set on joining the Marine Corps. None of his immediate family was military affiliated, but his grandfather and step-grandfather both had their fair share of military experience, having each fought in Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal. Clark was inspired and motivated by his family, but was mostly influenced by his step-grandfather’s friend who was also a Marine, sparking Clark’s interest and eventually making him want to become a Marine himself.
“He actually passed away a month before I shipped off to boot camp,” said Clark. “I was really sad because that was one of the main things I was hoping for, having him be able to watch me graduate boot camp and follow in his footsteps.”
After being recruited out of Rockford, Illinois, Clark signed up with the hope of being either an aircraft rescue and firefighting specialist or an aviation ordnance technician. Clark didn’t know which one he was going to get, since both have the same base military occupational specialty (MOS) contract.
“My recruiter did a really good job,” said Clark “Telling me they were both really cool, so I was like whatever I’ll do either one. Here I am.”
Clark then went to the aviation ordnance technician schoolhouse in Pensacola, Florida, and finished his “A” school (general MOS training) at the top of his class. Although he was tied for number one with another student, they both still got to choose if they wanted to become an I-level or O-level technician, determining which “C” school (technical MOS training) they would move onto. Clark choose I-level ordnance, where he learned to work on, maintain, fix when required, and even build up ordnance before his unit gives it to a squadron.
Clark currently serves as the quality assurance chief at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point. The types of I-level ordnance that Clark inspects and works on include bombs, missiles, rockets and any kind of weapons system mount that can be installed on an aircraft. This includes inspecting ordnance that goes into aircraft’s windshields, ensuring that if the time comes, the pilot or pilots, can eject safely and without issue. Clark also supervises maintaining the locks for MCAS Cherry Point, this includes the rifle range and all the squadrons with ordnance onsite.
“We do a lot,” said Clark. “No matter how much it is I know how important everything I do is to each squadron we support.”
In his off time, Clark likes to hang-out with his wife and dogs, watch football, especially the Bears, work on cars, shoot at various ranges and go to the gym.
| Date Taken: | 12.13.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 01.10.2020 13:32 |
| Story ID: | 357539 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 138 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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