Maintenance Group recognizes its star performers

  • Published
  • By Jet Fabara
  • 412th Test Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Edwards' top performers in the maintenance career field were recognized amongst peers during the 412th Maintenance Group Maintenance Professional of the Year banquet held April 6 at Hangar 1600.

The banquet, hosted by the 412th MXG, was held to recognize award recipients in the 2014 Maintenance Group Annual Award category, the 2014 Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Award category and 2014 Maintenance Professionals of the Year category.

"The Maintenance Professional of the Year Banquet is an annual celebration recognizing some of the maintenance group's best and brightest. The event is hosted by maintainers for maintainers. This year's banquet had the added bonus of including our annual awards and Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Awards, as well as acknowledging our outstanding results from the recent Unit Effectiveness Inspection," said Senior Master Sgt. Jared Currie, 912th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron superintendent and event coordinator. In total, we recognized 40 award recipients with all of the cheering, clapping, whistling, horn blowing and table pounding that only the 412th Maintenance Group can muster."

In addition to the banquet, sponsored by Bob Hope USO, award guests and recipients were treated to a star-studded performance by the USO Show Troupe, based in New York. The repertoire of music included patriotic, big band, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, disco, Motown, country, Broadway and current Top 40 hits.

"Today's event is a fantastic opportunity to recognize some outstanding Airman here at the 412th Maintenance Group and we couldn't be happier to bring some Bob Hope USO goodness to Edwards," said Bob Kurkjian, Bob Hope USO executive director. "This is one of the places where the USO can make a huge difference, because Edwards is not close to a whole lot. Being able to bring in performers and to cater a lunch in order to recognize these Airmen and the terrific work they do here is what we're all about."

"It's really special for us to be able to come out here and see these amazing men and women face-to-face and really show our appreciation, but it also gives us an opportunity to use our God-given talents to do what we love for something really meaningful," added  Katherine Beshear, USO Show Troupe performer.

Since the 412th MXG has more than 1,400 military and civilian maintainers on Edwards alone, with hundreds more in detachments around the country, according to Currie, he noted that the competition for awards is always very competitive between so many high-quality maintainers, but that only the top two percent will receive an award during the banquet.

"It's important to recognize that hard work produces results. The banquet provides a fun atmosphere to acknowledge all of our accomplishments and the impact those accomplishments have on our Air Force, sister services, and friendly nations around the globe. It helps us to focus on the mission with the understanding that what we do here at Edwards AFB makes a very real difference in our world through improving the capabilities of our military, keeping our pilots safe, and holding our enemies accountable should the need arise," Currie said. "None of our accomplishments happen by chance. They are driven by the hard working men and women turning wrenches on the flightline, repairing components in the back shops, compiling data in the offices, and supporting the mission in all the countless areas the maintenance group touches on a daily basis. Our hard working maintainers deserve all the praise they can get, and the banquet aims to do just that."

Team Edwards congratulates the following:

2014 Maintenance Group Annual Award winners:

Airman Category:
Senior Airman Brittany McAnally, 412th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron

Noncommissioned Officer Category:
Staff Sgt. William Smith, 912th AMXS

Senior Noncommissioned Officer Category:
Master Sgt. Christopher Dixon, 412th AMXS

Company Grade Officer Category:
Capt. Gregory Thomas, 412th AMXS

Field Grade Officer Category:
Maj. Brian Wear, 412th AMXS

Supervision/Management Category:
Lindsay Harris, 912th AMXS

Trades and Labor Category:
Andrew Buchanan, 912th AMXS

Staff, Specialist or Analyst Category:
Sandra Deering, 912th AMXS

Maintenance Team Category:
412th MXG - Logistics Programs Team
Mark Shimono
Anthony Accurso
Scott Bjork
Paul Boyce
William Jones
Larry Dierkson
Bill Hastings
Fred Kondrotas
Nathan O'Brien
Barbara Rara
Misti Reinfeldt
Larry Torr

2014 Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Award recipients:

Aircraft Maintenance Civilian Technician Category:
Garet Garcia, 412th Maintenance Squadron

Aircraft Maintenance Civilian Manager Category:
Kalen Deering, 412th AMXS

Aircraft Maintenance Airman Category:
Senior Airman Jordan Kent, 412th AMXS

Aircraft Maintenance Noncommissioned Officer Category:
Staff Sgt. Evan Ensey, 412th AMXS

Aircraft Maintenance Senior NCO Category:
Senior Master Sgt. Adam Pawelek, 412th Logistics Test Squadron

Aircraft Maintenance Officer Category:
Lt. Col. Jennifer Barnard, 412th MXG

Munitions and Missile Maintenance Civilian Technician Category:
Roy Maquindang, 412th MXS

Munitions and Missile Maintenance Civilian Manager Category:
Tracy Wilbur, 412th MXS

Munitions and Missile Maintenance Airman Category:
Senior Airman Michael Kaszuba, 412th Weapons Standardization Flight

Munitions and Missile Maintenance NCO Category:
Staff Sgt. Kyle Lane, 412th AMXS

Munitions and Missile Maintenance Senior NCO Category:
Master Sgt. Jarrod Miller, 412th Weapons Standardization Flight

2014 Maintenance Professionals of the Year:

2014 Crew Chief of the Year:
Staff Sgt. James Clippinger, 412th AMXS

Maintenance Professional in the Airman/Student/Trainee Category:
Staff Sgt. Jahavanne Gordon, 412th AMXS

Maintenance Professional in the NCO/ Non-Supervisory Category:
Staff Sgt. Jesse Molina, 412th MXS

Maintenance Professional in the Senior NCO/Supervisor/ Manager Category:
Master Sgt. Dean Piersall, 412th AMXS

Maintenance Support Professional in the Junior Enlisted/Non-Supervisory Category:
Tech. Sgt. Aaron Ross, 412th Maintenance Operations Flight

Maintenance Test Support Professional in the Junior Enlisted/Non-Supervisory Category:
Tech. Sgt. Joshua Goodwin, 412th Logistics Test Squadron

Maintenance Test Support Professional in the Senior Enlisted/ Supervisor/Manager Category:
Jeffrey McGill, 412th LTS

Weapons Professional Airman Category:
Senior Airman Jason Bucholtz, 412th AMXS

Weapons Professional NCO Category:
Staff Sgt. Jason Cabrera, 412th AMXS

Weapons Professional Senior NCO Category:
Master Sgt. Dustin Hoover, 412th AMXS

Weapons Professional Load Crew of the Year Category:
The Joint Strike Fighter Crew DT 1:
Staff Sgt. Jason Cabrera
Senior Airman Bobby Ambrose
Senior Airman James Capone