27th SOMXG receives SECDEF recognition Published Feb. 25, 2014 By Senior Airmen Eboni Reece 27th Special Operations Public Affairs CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Each year the Secretary of Defense recognizes excellence in maintenance by presenting six field-level military organizations with a Secretary of Defense Award for Maintenance Excellence in recognition for outstanding performance throughout the year. Amongst the six organizations selected for superior performance was the 27th Special Operations Maintenance Group. Through four maintenance squadrons, the 27 SOMXG supports 112 aircraft across nine mission design series. All of the group's accomplishments throughout fiscal year 2012, to include generating 1,865 combat sorties that flew more than 16,000 hours and performed over 200,000 maintenance actions, were in support of five forward-operating locations across three geographic combatant commands. The maintainers accomplished these feats with technical skill imbalances and often operating under austere conditions. "Given the incredible talent across the Department of Defense, it is truly an honor to be nominated for the Phoenix Award and win the Secretary of Defense Award for Maintenance Excellence," explained Col. David Wiesner, 27th Special Operations Maintenance Group commander. "Our team strives for excellence each and every day and they should be proud of the recognition they earned. It is truly a great honor and privilege to be the commander for such an outstanding organization." For their outstanding performance, the 27 SOMXG was singled out as one of the Department of Defense's best field-level maintenance units. Congratulations to these exemplary Air Commandos for receiving these accolades!