KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, NM. -- The 58th Maintenance Group here recently won the Air Education and Training Command 2019 Maintenance Effectiveness Award, marking the first time they’ve ever won this award.
The MEA is an annual award recognizing the unit that has been deemed most successful at providing safe, serviceable and available equipment for sustained use in peacetime and wartime.
The 58th MXG mission is to provide specialized Air Power, Air Warriors and Innovative Solutions. These core values were vital in their success.
“This award acknowledges the collective efforts of individual teams within the MXG who are working on several disparate game-changing initiatives,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Justin R. Hoffman, 58th Special Operations Wing commander. “It brings together recognition for the excellence that is spread across our formation of Airmen. It’s not just about one aspect or one person—this award celebrates the collective effort of our entire team.”
Winning the MEA shines light on the hard work and dedication Airmen and leadership have put into keeping the mission going throughout the last year.
“Our performance in 2019 was unprecedented,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Seth M. Rodgers, 58th MXG aircraft maintenance officer. “We executed more flying hours this year than we have in the last 13 years.”
Maintainers are the most valuable asset the MXG has, said Rodgers, and only through their hard work and relentless dedication was the MXG able to succeed in its mission.
“As a team, we execute the launch, recovery, inspection and sustainment of Special Operations and Personnel Recovery aircraft in support of the Headquarters USAF/AETC formal school for combat training,” said U.S. Air Force Col. John E. Baquet, 58th MXG commander. “Our group performs flightline and back-shop maintenance at both the organizational and intermediate level for 36 aircraft across five unique mission design series.”
Baquet also noted they maintain the Department of Defense’s only centralized jet engine intermediate maintenance facility, which is responsible for overhauling more than 500 T400 and T700 helicopter engines.
“It’s all about the culture of pride, professionalism and determination we’ve built for ourselves,” said Baquet. “Victory on the battlefield begins with us.”