--- title: "We salute the all-women Air Force team that crushed a weapons loading competition dressed as Rosie the Riveter" date: "2020-01-07" modified: "2020-01-07" authors: - name: "David Roza" job_title: "YouTube Writer/Editor" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/david-roza/" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-rosie-riveter-munitions-competition/" categories: - "Air Force" - "Around the World" - "Europe" - "Military Branches" - "Munitions" - "News" - "Tech & Tactics" - "Weapons" tags: - "European Command" - "women in military" --- # We salute the all-women Air Force team that crushed a weapons loading competition dressed as Rosie the Riveter ![]() An all-women team of airmen crushed an aircraft ground crew contest at Aviano Air Base on Tuesday, and they did it in Greatest Generation style. The "Bouncing Bettys," the first all-female team to compete in Aviano's Rapid Aircraft Generation and Employment (RAGE) competition, rocked navy blue coveralls and red polka dot bandanas in an ode to the legendary Rosie the Riveter. "The team members wanted to represent the women that paved the way and were here before them during World War I and II, The Woman Ordnance workers," wrote Airman 1st Class Ericka Woolever, a photographer with the 31st Fighter Wing who documented the competition. While the World War II propaganda icon Rosie the Riveter was ostensibly a factory worker, her motto "We Can Do It!" applies to all job descriptions and has inspired many young women past and present [to serve their country](). The motto still holds true today, as the six "Bouncing Bettys" surged through the RAGE to win gold. RAGE itself is a recent invention, first held at Aviano in October, 2019 to test ground crews' ability to ready aircraft munitions in preparation for a sortie. Each team of five or six airmen is evaluated based on six different events: a written test, stockpile practices (computer based), trailer configuration, trailer re-configuration, 463L palletization and, finally, the munitions build. To add pressure, the teams must complete all the tasks "in front of a large crown of rowdy Maintainers!" as Woolever quoted one airman as saying of [the first RAGE](). The idea for an all-women team started with Staff. Sgt. Ana Merkel, a munitions inspector from the 31st Munition Squadron. According to Woolever, Merkel "developed the idea of the team because she wanted to highlight the impact females have on Sortie generations." With that in mind, Merkel then assembled her crew: Staff Sgt. Catharyn M. Clyde, Staff Sgt. Nicole D. Jarvis, Senior Airman Audrey M. Naputi, Airman 1st Class Ashlyn B Martin and Airman Erin N. Brumm, all of whom are in the 31st Munition Squadron except for Naputi, who serves in the 731st Munition Squadron. Like the[ German land mine]() of their namesake, the "Bouncing Bettys" packed a punch, demonstrating "preparation and communication which they felt were bedrocks for success in any military conflict," wrote Woolever. If the Facebook page [Air Force amn/nco/snco]() is any measure, the victorious Bettys are getting a hero's due. "My Grammy was a riveter during the war and this makes my heart so happy!" wrote one commenter in response to the news. "Congrats ladies!! That's fucking awesome!!!" wrote another. ## Author David Roza writes scripts about military news for the Task & Purpose YouTube channel, and he also writes articles about military pay, benefits, health care, child care, culture, and other personnel topics on a freelance basis. Roza previously covered the Air Force and Space Force for Task & Purpose from 2019 to 2023 and for Air & Space Forces Magazine from 2023 to 2025. In the course of that reporting, he has set off a ‘Hollywood explosion’ with Air Force bomb techs, turned the (unarmed) keys of a nuclear missile bunker, hovered over the Nevada desert on an Air Force rescue helicopter, and got the best sleep of his life on the floor of a C-17 over the central Pacific. Share tips and story ideas with David at [david.roza@teamrecurrent.io]()