CMSAF McKinley speaks, presents MX-Pro Awards

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace
  • 436th AW Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  The Air Force's top enlisted leader visited Dover Air Force Base and was the guest speaker at the 436th Maintenance Group-sponsored Maintenance Professional of the Year Banquet.

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley, who spent nearly nine years of his career in maintenance, stood before the men and women of the 436th and 512th MXGs, to share an important message.

"Our aging fleet of aircraft remains on 'go' status for one reason," Chief McKinley said. "Our maintainers put their heart and soul into keeping those jets in the sky."

Chief McKinley, who has first-hand experience in aircraft maintenance, phase-dock inspections and crew chief operations said, "Today, I spoke in front of nearly 700 Airmen at the base theater. Out of those, only three drove cars from the (1970s). Though our Airmen don't feel comfortable driving such vehicles, as an Air Force we still fly aircraft that are 24 years old, on average. This has to change."

Recapitalizing the aging fleet is one of the Air Force's top priorities.

"We have tanker aircraft that are older than me," said the chief, who enlisted in 1974. "If you look at the world today, there's really no country that can match our air power. On the other hand, some countries are developing new, fifth-generation aircraft that, if left unchecked, will surpass our capabilities in years to come."

Until the Air Force's fleet is recapitalized, the nation relies on the expertise of their Air Force maintainers, said Chief Master Sgt. John Scinto, 436th MXG superintendent.

Chief Scinto was lauded for putting together a first-class banquet and spent the evening surrounded by his maintainers, whom he compared to the men and women of another distinguished profession.

"A maintainer is like a doctor," said the chief. "A doctor has many specialized tools and volumes of medical journals to mend broken bodies. Still, without his keen mind, skilled hands and technical expertise, his tools are nothing more than pieces of metal and plastic.

"Likewise, no matter how much the Air Force spends on the finest test equipment and tool sets, a multi-million-dollar aircraft will remain broken without well-written technical orders and highly-skilled Airmen to bring that grounded aircraft back to life and return it to the skies," Chief Scinto said.

Like all Airmen, maintainers work tirelessly to ensure accuracy and expediency in their profession, said the chief. Their efforts do not go unnoticed.

Tech. Sgt. Jamal Richardson, 436th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and winner of the Air Mobility Command-level Outstanding Maintenance Professional of the Year Award in the NCO category said he was honored to not only win the award and be recognized among his peers, but have it presented personally by the Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force.

"This was an once-in-a-lifetime evening and it motivates me to give that much more back to my team," said Sergeant Richardson. "You can't even imagine the feeling of being presented an award by the top enlisted Airman until it happens to you - it inspires me to push hard toward my goals."

Chief Scinto agrees that having the Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force here to help celebrate made this year's maintenance professional banquet even more special.

"These Airmen work in a very dangerous environment, day and night, and in all kinds of weather - and they make it look easy," Chief Scinto said. "Whether deployed in the extremely hot environment of Iraq, the extremely cold conditions in Afghanistan or even right here in Dover, the men and women of the 436th and 512th Maintenance Groups spend tireless hours on the flightline and in backshops keeping the sound of freedom rumbling in the engines of Dover's C-5s and C-17s. These aircraft carry precious cargo thousands of miles to the men and women locked in combat with America's enemy."