Luke civilian earns coveted Marquez award

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Luther Mitchell Jr.
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. (AFNS) --  An aircraft armament systems technician at Luke Air Force Base, in Arizona, distinguished himself by earning the 2013 Air Force Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Award for Outstanding Munitions/Missile Maintenance Person of the Year, civilian technician category. It was announced July 22.

David Moore, 56th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, surpassed his peers at the base and MAJCOM levels to go on and earn the award at the Air Force level. Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, 56th Fighter Wing commander, presented Moore with the award.

Moore, a prior enlistee, has more than 20 years of experience working as a weapons loader and armament specialist. From testing and evaluating new weapons systems to inspecting, repairing and loading ordnance, aircraft armament systems specialists are critical to the success of the Air Force mission.

Moore said earning awards is all about "showing up, doing your job and doing it to the best of your ability."

The Marquez Award recognizes base-level military and civil service aircraft, munitions and missile maintenance personnel who perform hands-on maintenance or manage a maintenance function. In 2013, Moore enhanced the ability of the 56th EMS to meet the very high mission tempo of the wing. His leadership during the inspection and repair of 389 pieces of munitions handling equipment helped solidify a 99.2 percent weapons release rate during more than 23,000 F-16 Fighting Falcon sorties. Additionally, he displayed exceptional technical skill when he rewired three bomb rack switches and avoided more than $47,000 in replacement cost.

This is the third year in a row an Airman from the 56th EMS Armament Flight has earned this award. John Gaines, 56th EMS Armament Flight, Aircraft Ordnance Systems supervisor, earned the award in 2011 and Dale Wollschlager, 56th EMS Armament Flight Weapons Systems technician, in 2012.

For Gaines, Moore's current supervisor, the continued success of his flight is made possible by "having a bunch of good guys" working for him.

"Moore has done a lot of outstanding stuff here," Gaines said. "He is the go-to guy for a lot of problems. He is the go-to guy if you need training or instruction on how to do something, and he is the most knowledgeable guy in here for all of the systems we use."

Moore loves the career he chose and finds satisfaction working around aircraft and weapons systems. It's not all glamorous, but the reward comes with a job well done, he said.

"I'm humbled," Moore said. "If you stick to integrity, work ethic and can relate to people, sooner or later that will show up among your peers."