Maintainers: The driving force

  • Published
  • By Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs
  • Air Education and Training Command


JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) -- The Profession of Arms Center of Excellence released a new video Nov. 10, as part of the Heritage Today series.

“Driving Force – Maintainers” pays tribute to aircraft maintenance Airmen and focuses on the dedication and culture of the more than 100,000 total force flightline warriors serving today.

Brig. Gen. Walter J. Lindsley, the director of logistics, deputy chief of staff logistics, engineering and force protection, Headquarters, Air Force at the Pentagon, described the Air Force’s maintainers as “crazy loyal to our country and tirelessly devoted to our mission.”

“And we need them -- active duty, Guard, Reserves, and civilians,” he added. “We work as one team … in one fight.”

Master Sgt. James Weeks, the superintendent of the Maintenance Management School at Air Education and Training Command headquarters here, is the voice behind the recording.

“I have worked on the B-2 (Spirit), the C-130E and H models, and most recently was part of the special airlift missions at Joint Base Andrews,” he described. “As the video states, aircraft maintainers are a special breed of individuals. They work in all conditions, at all hours and make sacrifices time and again to make the mission happen.”

The 19-year veteran said it was an honor to work with what, “I believe are the most dedicated, hardest working, mission driven, selfless group of people in the Air Force – the aircraft maintainers.”

The Heritage Today video series is designed to inspire Airmen through stories of Air Force heritage linked to current real-world Air Force operations.

“Our Heritage Today videos reinforce Airmen identities – we recognize, feel, and live them,” said Col. Joseph Rizzuto, the PACE director. “These videos help Airmen better understand principles of our Air Force culture and our core values.”

“I hope it (the video) will instill an added sense of pride in maintainers and help recruit those that we need to take our place,” Weeks said.