Aircraft Structural Maintenance Awards
Technical Sergeant Robert A. Ayhens distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Aircraft Structural Maintenance Craftsman, 49th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, 49th Maintenance Group, 49th Wing, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. During this period, as an Aircraft Structural Maintenance Shift Lead, Sergeant Ayhens led 54 Airman in the performance of 743 maintenance actions. His team's accomplishments directly enabled 21,000 flight hours, culminating in his section earning the Maintenance Group's Large Team of the Quarter Award in 2022. Additionally, Sergeant Ayhens knowledge and expertise were vital to the corrosion control section. He trained eight personnel on the proper application of the new F-16 5th generation coating, which improved the health of the fleet by 12 years, an AETC first. Moreover, as the Maintenance Group Unit Deployment Manager, he oversaw five squadrons, deploying over seventy-five personnel across six Areas of Responsibility while boosting the Maintenance Group readiness to eighty-five percent during the Air Force Force Generation transition. Finally, he received zero PERSCO discrepancies and was lauded for consistent highly effective ratings during several Wing Staff Assistance Visits. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Ayhens reflect credit upon himself, the 49th Equipment Maintenance Squadron and the United States Air Force.
Staff Sergeant Edward C. Lawrence distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Aircraft Structural Maintenance Craftsman, 8th Maintenance Squadron, 8th Maintenance Group, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea. During this period, as the shift lead for night operations, he led eight Airmen in the resolution of 267 flightline jobs and the upkeep of 16 pieces of metal working equipment, resulting in six thousand sorties and a 97 percent maintenance scheduling effectiveness rating. Additionally, Sergeant Lawrence orchestrated the refurbishment of ten Advanced Concept Ejection Seats. He oversaw the fabrication of custom repair pieces for Air Force wide zero balance parts, safeguarding three million dollars worth of assets and eliminating the need for Not Repairable This Station (NRTS) actions. Finally, Sergeant Lawrence drove the repair of a long standing fuel systems issue. The building and installation of the close tolerance doublers were installed ahead of schedule, enabling the aircraft to be successfully flown to depot for permanent overhaul, marking its first flight in 615 days. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Lawrence reflect credit upon himself, the 8th Maintenance Squadron, and the United States Air Force.
Senior Airman Brandon E. Garza distinguished himself by outstanding achievement in the superior performance of his duties while serving as Aircraft Structural Maintenance Journyman, 355th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, 355th Fighter Wing, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. During this period, Airman Garza refurbished six A-10 engine nose cowls and salvaged the unprocurable parts, saving the Air Force eight million dollars in T-34 replacement costs. Additionally, he fabricated and installed structural doublers on six A-10 weapons pylons, ensuring the precision drop of munitions by maintaining its structural integrity. Finally, Airman Garza hand formed and replaced three A-10 F-3 ribs. His actions directly contributed to Fabrication Flight winning the 2011 Air Force Material Command Hog Star Award. The distinctive accomplishments of Airman Garza reflect credit upon himself, the 355th Equipment Maintenance Squadron and the United States Air Force.
Senior Airman Brian M. Medley distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Aircraft structural Maintenance Technician, 305th Maintenance Squadron, 305th Maintenance Group, 305th Air Mobility Wing, Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst, New Jersey. During this period, Airman Medley led the refurbishment of 10 aircraft brake housings, saving the Air Force over two hundred thousand dollars and a six week depot turn time. In addition, he led the repair of a KC-10 engine cowl by removing the damaged area and installing a patch, preventing a costly supply strain and asset swap. Further, he refurbished eight aircraft ground equipment stands, saving eighty thousand dollars in replacement costs and extending the stands' service life by five years. Finally, SrA Medley was selected to restore the static C-118's interior to its authentic paint scheme. His hard work and dedication revitalized the aircraft and sustained Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst heritage. The distinctive accomplishments of Airman Medley reflect credit upon himself, the 305th Maintenance Squadron and the United States Air Force.
Staff Sergeant Marcus C. Hackman distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Aircraft Structural Maintenance Craftsman, 51st Maintenance Squadron, 51st Maintenance Group, 51st Fighter Wing, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. During this period, Sergeant Hackman piloted an A-10 nose cowling restoration by fabricating five L-angle repairs, avoiding 42,000 dollars in depot repair costs and ensuring the aircraft was fully mission capable six hours ahead of ETIC. Additionally, he salvaged a marred horizontal stabilizer and repaired the metal bonded structure, negating the need for part replacement and saving the Air Force 125,000 dollars. Further, he spearheaded an ACES II ejection seat repair, guaranteeing this critical life saving asset was fully restored while saving the Wing 166,000 dollars in replacement costs. Finally, he flawlessly repaired two F-16 leading edges and expertly developed a dual countoured repair, negating the need for a deployable depot team and saving 220,000 dollars. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Hackman reflect credit upon himself, the 51st Maintenance Squadron, and the United States Air Force.
Staff Sergeant Shane M. Dye distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Low Observable Aircraft Structural Maintenance Journeyman, 3rd Equipment Maintenance Squadron, 3rd Maintenance Group, Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska. During this period, Sergeant Dye inspected over 300 aircraft and identified and documented over 2,000 low observable damages, contributing to the combat Air Force's best signature assessment system average of 46 percent. Additionally, he skillfully completed an F-22 water drain modification in the cockpit, eliminating moisture intrusion into critical components in the cockpit and saving over two million dollars in potential avionics damage. Finally, Sergeant Dye repaired a severely damaged fuel boom closure plate, restoring the refueling receptacle and making the aircraft ready to fly its next sortie. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Dye reflect credit upon himself, the 3rd Equipment Maintenance Squadron, and the United States Air Force.
Staff Sergeant Paul W. Richardson distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Structural Maintenance Apprentice and Aircraft Structural Maintenance Journeyman, 325th Maintenance Squadron, 325th Maintenance Group, 325th Fighter Wing, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. Sergeant Richardson's attention-to-detail was showcased in the rebuild of 20 radomes, when he applied fiberglass overlays in accordance with strict technical data, saving 80,000 dollars in replacement costs. Additionally, he supervised a vertical stabilizer repair, eliminating the need for depot contract field team support, and saving 90,000 dollars and 73 man-hours. Furthermore, he spearheaded the restoration of 10 F-15 missiles, salvaging the Air Force's aging munitions inventory and prolonging the service life by 36 months. Finally, Sergeant Richardson restored a disbonded speedbrake by installing a metal bonded patch in less than two hours, aiding the squadron's overall "Outstanding" rating during the 2009 Headquarters Air Education and Training Command Logistics Compliance Assessment Program inspection. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Richardson reflect credit upon himself, the 325th Maintenance Squadron and the United States Air Force.