Air Force's top maintainers recognized

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Richard A Williams Jr.
  • Air Force Public Affairs Agency
WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  Two Air Force aircraft maintainers were recognized by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz during a ceremony here Oct. 28 for their outstanding contributions to the Air Force mission.

Capt. William Bernecker, who is assigned to the 48th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, and Master Sgt. Richard Piltz, who is assigned to the 923rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., were awarded the 2011 General Lew Allen Jr. Trophy.

The trophy is awarded annually to a base-level officer and senior NCO in the aircraft, munitions or missile maintenance career fields directly involved in sortie generation.

"You all represent a very special community known with affection as 'maintainers,'" Schwartz said. "Without your dedicated efforts, our machines would never get off the ground."

Bernecker was cited as leading his team through a "historic time" as an aircraft maintenance officer with the 494th Aircraft Maintenance Unit.

His unit was one of four generating aircraft that helped his wing receive an "Outstanding" rating during the wing's operational readiness inspection -- U.S. Air Forces in Europe's first top rating in 24 years and the only such rating in the Air Force in 2010, officials said.

Bernecker also led more than 290 Airmen supporting 28 aircraft in support of the first F-15E Strike Eagle air strikes on Libya. The unit then forward deployed, flying 139 combat missions and destroying 477 military targets in 13 days.

"I firmly believe I am in the best maintenance unit in the Air Force," Bernecker said. "The missions have been extremely challenging, but the unit stepped up to the plate and did really well with everything they faced. I just happened to be a part of it."

As a lead production superintendent, Piltz led 44 maintainers through the sustainment of three HH-60G Pave Hawks performing personnel recovery and casualty evacuation during the highest recorded surge in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

He is credited with coordinating interservice, beyond-field-level depot repairs for two HH-60Gs with minimal breaks in mission readiness. Piltz was also cited for exceptional leadership skills, ensuring the success of more than 1,700 combat missions resulting in 550 lives saved.

"I really wish I could bring everyone from our production office in here for this," Piltz said. "I have been mentored by a lot of incredible people, and if it wasn't for everyone around me, we would not have been successful."