315th, 437th Maintenance Group take top AMC honors again

Published Dec. 18, 2014
By Michael Dukes
315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Team Charleston's award winning C-17 maintainers have once again demonstrated that they are the cream of the crop. The 437th and 315th Maintenance Groups earned the 2014 Clements McMullen Memorial Daedalian Weapon System Maintenance Trophy for Air Mobility Command for 2014.

"This award is a direct result of the outstanding men and women we have working on our aircraft here in the 315 MXG. The partnership we have with the 437 MXG is unparalleled anywhere else in the Air Force and I am very proud of each and every member of this Group," said Col. Richard Gay, 315th MXG commander.

"The 437th and 315th Maintenance Groups have distinguished themselves by accomplishing superior aircraft maintenance during the period 1 October 2013 through 30 September 2014. Leading Air Mobility Command's call for humanitarian and contingency operational missions, Team Charleston excelled in building joint partnerships with sister wings, services and nations as flight line personnel loaded and launched aircraft that ultimately logged 48,000 flying hours spanning 14,100 missions, carrying 83,000 personnel and 267,000 tons of cargo," stated the award citation.

"Boasting superior resource management, Charleston's quality assurance inspectors topped 4,100 evaluations and inspections, while the professional maintenance instructors taught more than 365, courses amassing 20,000 instructional hours. Known for their focus on innovation, Team Charleston championed 16 Process Improvement events which saved over 143,000 dollars. As Tanker Airlift Control Center's most highly utilized C-17 unit in Air Mobility Command, Team Charleston responded impeccably when directed to provide aid prior to President Mandela's funeral, totaling 20 support missions with a 100 percent Logistics Departure Reliability Rate."

"Finally, during the 2014 Unit Effectiveness Inspection, Team Charleston was recognized with two Highly Effective programs, leading to the Wing's overall "Effective" rating. The professionalism and commitment to excellence demonstrated by the men and women of the 437th and 315th Maintenance Groups reflect great credit upon themselves, the Air Mobility Command, and the United States Air Force," the citation concluded.

"The Daedalian is a culmination of a lot of hard work by a Group of outstanding professionals. I am very proud of every member of the team here in the 437/315 MXGs and I look forward to doing even bigger and better things in the future," said Chief Master Sgt. Christopher Mong, 315th MXG superintendent.

"Congratulations to the men and women of the 315th and 437th MXGs for their 2014 Daedalian Weapon System Maintenance Trophy win," said Col. Jamie Fontanella, 315th AW commander. "This accomplishment represents hard work, dedication and exemplary total force integration. I'm proud that the best and most-integrated Maintenance Groups in the Air Force have been recognized!"

The Order of Daedalians honors, as its Founder Members, all WW I aviators who were commissioned as officers and rated as military pilots no later than the Armistice on 11 November 1918. It perpetuates their names as the first to fly our country's airplanes in time of war. The Order's membership of commissioned, warrant and flight officer military pilots and WASPs, with its worldwide network of Daedalian Flights and its comprehensive awards program, supports the military services and other aerospace activities.

The Awards and Scholarship Programs of the Order and Foundation encourage patriotism, integrity, and good character in our nation's youth; military careers as commissioned pilots; safety of flight, and excellence in the performance of military duties. The Daedalian Foundation's scholarship program also promotes study in aerospace disciplines.

A Daedalian trophy, first awarded in 1960, is presented annually to a Air Force unit (Wing Level) determined by headquarters Air Force to have the best weapon system maintenance record for the preceding calendar year.