27th SOMXG garners prestigious Daedalian Award

Published March 23, 2016
By Staff Sgt. Whitney Amstutz
27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs

CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- The 27th Special Operations Maintenance Group outperformed all others in earning the right to bring home the Clements McMullen Daedalian Weapon System Maintenance Award for fiscal year 2015.

The Daedalian Award is split into four sections: mission accomplishments, effective use of maintenance resources, innovative management accomplishments and personnel quality of life programs; it is one of the most significant accolades a maintenance group can obtain.

“Winning the Daedalian is a significant achievement,” said 1st Lt. Hope Mills, 16th Aircraft Maintenance Unit assistant officer in charge. “When our group won at the Major Command-level, that earned us the title of best maintenance group in Air Force Special Operations Command; from there we won at the Air Force level, recognizing the 27th SOMXG as the best maintenance group in the Air Force.”

The mission of the 27th SOMXG is to accomplish global special operations taskings as an Air Force service component member of United States Special Operations Command. The group executes this mission by organizing, training and equipping more than 1,000 Airmen in 33 Air Force Specialty Codes, who conduct launch and recovery, and equipment maintenance and inspections on 100 aircraft encompassing eight different airframes.

The 27th SOMXG is also charged with the responsibility of maintaining Remotely Piloted Aircraft Ground Control Stations and executing specialized taskings worldwide, as well as acting as a force provider to the Secretary of Defense and combatant commanders.

According to the award package, more than 350 Airmen assigned to the 27th SOMXG deployed during the award period, providing maintenance support to special operations aircraft downrange.

As deployed operations thrummed on, maintenance members back home surged forward rather than allow training and innovation to fall by the wayside. As a result of their efforts, three dozen additional AC-130W simulator instructors were certified, increasing capability by 35 percent.

“I spent the first five months of the year deployed with the 9th Aircraft Maintenance Unit as the maintenance officer in charge,” Mills said. “When I returned home to the 16th AMU, where I have been for the past six months, I became the AOIC. I am fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to work directly with our maintainers on the flightline both at home-station and in the Area of Responsibility, and I can speak to their capabilities and commitment to getting the mission done. Without a doubt this wing has the best maintainers.”

These accomplishments, and dozens more of equivalent weight, contributed to the 27th SOMXG receipt of the fiscal year 2015 Daedalian Award. Mills and many of her fellow Air Commandos attribute the win to a dogged pursuit of excellence, personal investment in the Airmen who comprise the group, and exceptional leadership.

“Col. David Weisner was our maintenance commander for the first part of the fiscal year,” Mills said. “He was a remarkable leader who truly set our group up for success at every level. Col. Clay Mason, the current commander, did an outstanding job and continues to do so at carrying on our legacy of excellence, ensuring our men and women are taken care of so they can take care of the mission.”

Always looking for the next summit to transcend, members of the 27th SOMXG are now in the running for the Secretary of Defense’s Field-Level Maintenance Award, the results of which will be announced this summer.

“We get the opportunity to represent the Air Force as we go up against the other services,” Mills said. “The men and women of the 27th SOMXG work hard day in and day out to provide this nation with safe, reliable, airworthy aircraft – any time, any place. As quiet professionals who never ask for anything more than to see the mission accomplished, it’s gratifying to see our maintainers getting the recognition they deserve.”