Moody maintainers sweep annual ACC awards

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jarrod Grammel
  • 23rd Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  The 23rd Maintenance Group recently won the Clements McMullen Memorial Daedalian Weapons System Maintenance Trophy which recognizes the unit that has best met the objective of providing safe, serviceable, and available equipment for sustained use in peace and war, but Moody maintainers didn't stop there.

The 23rd Equipment Maintenance Squadron also won the Air Combat Command Maintenance Effectiveness Award for best medium aircraft maintenance unit and the 23rd Component Maintenance Squadron won the small maintenance unit category.

"This award recognizes us as the best and most efficient unit in ACC," said U.S. Air Force Maj. April Mench, 23rd EMS commander. "Our global presence made the difference this year. We had Airmen supporting rescue missions in numerous locations and A-10C (Thunderbolt II) close air support missions while continuing our mission at home."

Unlike many other maintenance squadrons, 23rd EMS works on all aircraft frames and deploy anytime aircraft do. One Airman who recently returned from a deployment was Staff Sgt. Brandon Dutton, 23rd EMS armament weapons specialist.

"We are all professionals and good maintainers," said Dutton. "One reason we won is our teamwork. We are all dedicated and are constantly setting the bar higher for each other.

"It shows hard work pays off and it doesn't go unnoticed," he added.

The 23rd EMS Airmen also distinguished themselves by scoring better on the Logistics Compliance Assessment Program inspection than any other EMS squadron in Combat Air Forces.

"We really focused on innovation and doing things smarter," said Mench. "One of the many things we were able to do was cut 15 days off the helicopter phase inspection to get them back to where they are needed.

"We didn't win these awards because of good writing," she added. "We won because of the hardworking Airmen. I couldn't be more proud. They earned it."