WASHINGTON -- The Defense Department announced the 2016 winners of the Secretary of Defense Maintenance Awards. These awards are presented annually to recognize outstanding achievements in weapon systems and military equipment maintenance, according to a department news release.
The depot-level award is named in recognition of Robert T. Mason, a former assistant deputy undersecretary of defense for maintenance policy, programs and resources, officials said. Mason served as the champion of organic depot maintenance for three decades and was instrumental in transforming DoD organic depot-level operations.
Depot Maintenance Excellence Award
The recipient of the 2016 Robert T. Mason Depot Maintenance Excellence Award is the USS Alexandria Engineered Overhaul Project Team, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine. This team executed a 280,000 man-day overhaul and delivered the Los Angeles-class attack submarine back to the fleet two weeks ahead of schedule and $9 million under budget.
Field-Level Maintenance Awards
A total of six field-level awards are presented in three categories -- large, medium, and small.
The recipients of this year's Secretary of Defense Field-level Maintenance Awards in the large category are the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, Yokosuka, Japan; and the Air Force’s 48th Maintenance Group, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England.
Winners in the medium category are Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 29, Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina; and the 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.
The small category winners are the Army’s Forward Support Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and the Air Force’s 31st Munitions Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy.
Phoenix Symbolizes Rejuvenation
The Secretary of Defense Field-level Maintenance Awards are symbolized by the legendary phoenix, a mythological bird which lived for some five centuries, died, was consumed by flames, and then reborn from its own ashes. Periodically, so states the myth, the phoenix would be reborn again and again.
This unique ability of the legendary phoenix to rejuvenate and renew itself characterizes the role of weapon systems and maintenance in the DoD. The winner of the Phoenix Award, recognized as the best of the best field-level maintenance units, will be selected from the six field-level award winners.
The department also recognized excellence in maintenance training, advice, and assistance of foreign security forces. The recipient of this year's Secretary of Defense Award for Excellence in Maintenance Training, Advice, and Assistance of Foreign Security Forces is the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force, Afghanistan, U.S. Air Force Central Command.
The awards will be presented to the winners on Dec. 6 in the Albuquerque Convention Center, New Mexico, during an awards ceremony that’s part of the 2016 DoD Maintenance Symposium. Continually updated symposium information is available here.
The fast-attack submarine USS Alexandria arrives at its new home port of San Diego, Nov. 10, 2015. Alexandria joined Commander, Submarine Squadron 11, after a scheduled two-year engineered overhaul at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Kyle Carlstrom