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Dover AFB wins Daedalian trophy for Air Mobility Command

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman James Bolinger
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  It's the most prestigious major command-level award a maintenance group can receive and Dover hasn't won it since 1994. 

"(The Clemens McMullen Memorial Daedalian Weapon System Maintenance Trophy) is presented by the Order of Daedalians to recognize the unit that has best met the objectives of providing safe, serviceable and available equipment for sustained use in peace and wartime," said Lt. Col. Ray Briggs, 436th Maintenance Operations Squadron commander. 

The Daedalian team arrived Oct. 22 and visited every maintenance facility on base during their two-day trip. The inspection team rated the 436th and 512th Maintenance Groups on four overall categories. 

The first category was mission accomplishment, said, Colonel Briggs. Mission accomplishment included weapon systems operational ready status and specific programs and challenges unique to Dover's mission. 

"Everyone on base knows what Dover's mission focus is," said Colonel Briggs. "One on the thing we were able to do was tie almost every one of our briefings back to Dover's mission focus." 

One of the unique challenges Dover's maintenance group faces is supporting the Charles C. Carson Center for Mortuary Affairs. 

"We modified a couple of vans to help carry transport cases, our first sergeants help drive the trucks and our (Maintenance Operations Center) controllers control the flight line when a dignified transfer is going on," said Colonel Briggs. 

Another key category was effective use of maintenance resources. 

"The effective recovery of the mishap aircraft was an example of our resource use," said Lieutenant Colonel Briggs. "We were able to take several million dollars worth of parts from the downed aircraft and turn them back into supply; including $2.8 million in very-critical assets. These are things that we don't normally have enough of - fourteen spoilers and two flaps. By having a spare set of those in the supply system we save down time on C-5s." 

Showing how Dover's Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century initiatives help improve the maintenance process was an important part of the effective use of maintenance resources category. 

"We show cased our improved tool accountability system and our reworked parts delivery system," said Colonel Briggs. 

The quality of Dover's maintenance facilities was another important piece to the puzzle which allowed Dover to claim the trophy. 

"Dover's facilities are among the oldest in Air Mobility Command, we've got 1950s stuff," said Colonel Briggs. 

"There is a concept of stewardship, how well do you take care of what you have," said Colonel Briggs. "That was one of the things we were able to highlight. Yes, our facilities may be old, but we are still proud of them, we take care of them and we turn them into places of pride for our mechanics." 

The other bases competing for the AMC trophy, McGuire and Charleston Air Force Bases, have both added new missions in the past 10 years, said Lieutenant Colonel Briggs. They both gained C-17 missions and McGuire added KC-10s. Those changes brought new facilities to the maintenance communities at each respective base. 

Now that the 436th and 512th MXGs have reclaimed the trophy they have set their sights on the Air Force and possibly even the DoD Daedalian trophy. The Air Force level Daedalian award has been absent from Dover for 31 years, and this year's success has brought hopeful thoughts of once again claiming the trophy. 

"The mechanics in the 436th and 512th maintenance groups - military, civilians, contractors, reservists and a number of emergency over hires - worked as hard as any mechanics I've ever worked with in my career to provide this nation with safe, reliable, airworthy aircraft," said Col. Robert Hamm, 436th Maintenance Group commander. "I'm very proud of both groups. I know what these folks go through everyday to keep an aging
C-5 flying for a nation whose thirst for airlift is absolutely insatiable. 

"Thanks in part to their efforts, 256 million tons of vital cargo left Dover Air Force Base for the fight over the past year," he said. 

The Colonel emphasized the teamwork between the active duty and Reserve component. 

"While we appreciate Air Mobility Command's recognition that Dover mechanics have stepped up to find ways to keep the missions moving, I want to make it very clear that this recognition is the result of teamwork across the Eagle and Liberty Wings. 

"While the Daedalian Trophy is for maintenance effectiveness, we recognize that we are just part of the team and we would not get this recognition without the support of Air Force professionals across the 436th and 512th Airlift Wings," he said.