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60th, 349th AMXS win 2006 AMC Maintenance Effective Award

  • Published
  • By Tailwind Staff
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The 60th and 349th Aircraft Maintenance Squadrons recently won Air Mobility Command's Maintenance Effectiveness Award for 2006, the highest command level award for aircraft maintenance squadrons.

"With what we've been through the past year, this is a huge accomplishment," said Senior Master Sgt. Jamie Lanier, 60th AMXS lead production superintendent.

During the past year, the squadron, which is responsible for training and equipping aircraft maintenance personnel to mobilize and generate mission-ready C-5 aircraft capable of worldwide strategic airlift support, overcame what many considered the "perfect storm," --deployments, loss of experience and an increased ops tempo.

First, the squadron created and welcomed a C-17 squadron, ushering in AMC's only three weapon-systems wing by transferring 134 experienced C-5 maintenance personnel, a 26 percent drop in available workforce, to stand-up the new C-17 squadron.

"Anytime you lose hardworking, experienced people, it's tough," said Senior Airman Edward Rich, 60th AMXS flying crew chief. "But we kept up with our mission by getting people trained to fill the shoes of those who were gone."

In addition, the 60th AMXS supported the Global War on Terrorism operations by deploying more than 380 maintainers to seven wartime operating locations, overcoming hostile fire and producing unsurpassed results.

"I've been deployed numerous times to different places, including Iraq, and I've seen how my job and my fellow maintainers' jobs impact the mission by helping get vital cargo, whether it's tanks, bulletproof Humvees or humanitarian aid, where it needs to be," Sergeant Lanier said. 

The squadron couldn't have overcome the "perfect storm" without assistance from the 349th AMXS.

"The active duty draws heavily on the Reserve knowledge and support," said Chief Master Sgt. Tim Fuller, 349th AMXS superintendent. "We support the squadron by stabilizing the work force."

"I am very proud of earning this award, it recognizes the hard work, professionalism and dedication of the work force out here, who come to work every day, work really hard and put pride into their work," said Col. William Anholt, 349th Maintenance Group commander.

While overcoming the "perfect storm," the 60th and 349th AMXS produced phenomenal results.

They were number one in the C-5 fleet for highest aircraft availability rate, had the highest 12-hour fix rate, lowest cannibalization rate, lowest break rate, lowest repeat/recur rate and lowest awaiting maintenance rate.

Additionally, Travis' C-5 mission capable rate of 72 percent was the best of any C-5 unit in the Air Force while flying more than 17,000 hours which accounted for 57 percent of the entire C-5 fleet. The squadrons maintained these deeds all while recording zero Class A or B mishaps.

The 60th AMXS also pioneered numerous Lean initiatives to improve processes including building the first integrated C-5 and C-17 aircraft support section in AMC.

By reducing floor space by 40 percent and cutting wasted motion by 68 percent, the Lean team was able to decrease manning by 30 percent. This amounted to 10 additional maintainers supporting flight line operations.

"Winning 'Best Aircraft Maintenance Squadron in Air Mobility Command' affirms what I already knew, and what our troops have proven time and time again, both individually and as a team," said Lt. Col. Mark Weber, 60th AMXS commander. "It's no surprise to me that they won. They are the best America has to offer."