Warner Robins C-130 team earns DoD top maintenance honor

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WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  When the Department of Defense announced its top maintenance awards for depot and field-level units, recognizing outstanding achievement in weapon system and military equipment maintenance, it was a Robins Air Force Base, Ga., unit earning top honors.

The 2012 Robert T. Mason Depot Maintenance Excellence Award was presented to the C-130 Programmed Depot Maintenance team at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center. According to Brig. Gen. Cedric George, the Warner Robins ALC commander, the team received the award for its ability, during Fiscal Year 2011, to create and implement a recovery plan to increase C-130 aircraft availability to operating units. "The team returned 64 aircraft to operating units, reduced work in progress from 41 to 36 aircraft, slashed flow days from 102 to 69 days, achieved 100 percent on time delivery by the end of the fiscal year, as well as lowered customer reported deficiencies by 60 percent. This (award) is similar to winning the Super Bowl in our business."

A total of six field-level awards are presented in the categories of large, medium and small units, with the Air Force picking up a win in each category. In the large category, the 23rd Maintenance Group from Moody Air Force Base, Ga., took co-honors; in the medium category, the 3rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, took one of the two top spots; and in the small unit category, the 353rd Special Operations Maintenance Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, was co-winner.

The awards are named in honor of Robert T. Mason, a former assistant deputy undersecretary of defense for maintenance policy, programs and resources. The awards will be presented at a banquet planned for Nov. 15, 2012, during the DoD Maintenance Symposium and Exhibition at the DeVos Place Convention Center, Grand Rapids, Mich.