Aircraft Maintenance Awards

LO Section NCOIC & Production Superintendent

Technical Sergeant Samuel J Holt distinguished himself by outstanding achievement while serving as Low Observable (LO) Section NCOIC and Production Superintendent, 493rd Expeditionary Fighter Generation Squadron, 378th Maintenance Group, Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudia Arabia. During this period, Sergeant Holt served as Low Observable (LO) Section Noncommissioned Officer in Charge while filling in as Production Superintendent for the 493d Expeditionary Fighter Generation Squadron during Operation MIDNIGHT HAMMER, a mission two decades in planning. He directed the execution of all maintenance for 52 personnel across seven Air Force Specialty Codes: LO, Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI), Metals Technology (MT), Fuels, Egress, Wheel & Tire (W&T), and Aerospace Ground Equipment (AGE), supporting 12 deployed F-35A Lightning II aircraft in sustained combat operations under persistent hostile missile and drone threats.

Key Accomplishments:

• Served as the sole authority to certify F-35s Fully Mission Capable for LO readiness, a prerequisite for all combat taskings, ensuring mission-critical aircraft availability for the entire deployment.

• Led cross-service coordination with Marines to secure mission-essential parts and chemical trades through the F-35 supply system, enabling uninterrupted sortie generation.

• Partnered with Metals Technology to fabricate horizontal stabilizer pad stands, allowing simultaneous touch-up repairs without grounding individual aircraft or wasting chemicals—maximizing operational tempo.

• Personally performed all Outer Mold Line inspections on the aircraft tasked for MIDNIGHT HAMMER and executed a cracked gun skin repair, deferring depot induction and preserving combat capability.

• Directed team in completion of 32 canopy restorations preventing $11.2M in replacement costs, and led a signature reduction package eliminating 79 defects, reducing fleet radar signature from 39% to 0%.

• Utilized the only AFCENT-qualified NDI technician to perform F-35 blade inspections in theater; executed EOTS inspections for both Hill AFB and Marine Corps aircraft.

• Enabled the generation of 11 F-35s for 8 combat sorties within a 47-aircraft strike package, delivering decisive effects against Iranian nuclear capability.

• Contributed to theater-wide output of 801 combat sorties, 3,526 hours, and 11 munitions employed, sustaining fifth-generation air dominance across Operations INHERENT RESOLVE and PROSPERITY GUARDIAN.

Impact:

Sergeant Holt's leadership and cross-domain coordination ensured the flawless execution of a high-risk, historic combat mission. His actions preserved fleet health, maximized sortie generation, and directly enabled combat effects critical to U.S. and coalition objectives. His innovation, resource management, and technical oversight set the benchmark for integrated fifth-generation operations in a contested theater.

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NCOIC, Aircraft Maintenance Squadron

Master Sergeant Michael A. Phillips Jr. distinguished himself by consistently displaying the highest attribute of professionalism, technical competence, and leadership while assigned to the 433d Maintenance Squadron from 1 October 2011 to 1 October 2021. During this period, Sergeant Phillips' outstanding professional skill and ceaseless efforts resulted in major contributions to the overall development and enhancement of the Aerospace Repair Shop and furthered the United States objectives of providing combat-ready forces to Fly, Fight, and Win. Additionally, Master Sergeant Phillips served as the Wing Fitness Program Manager and tested over 3,000 Wing members, trained and managed more than 150 FAC team members, and solicited inspection of 27 unit fitness programs which resulted in lowering the 433d Airlift Wing failure rate to under 3% across the Reserve Command. Additionally, Sergeant Phillips' ability to identify, isolate and solve problems related to Security Program significantly enhanced the posture and overall readiness of the Maintenance Squadron by 20% resulting in two successful completions during the Information Protection inspection. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Master Sergeant Phillips reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

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Section Chief

Master Sergeant Shane R. Lennon distinguished himself by outstanding service while serving as Section Chief, 446th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 446th Air Wing, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. During this period, Master Sergeant Lennon demonstrated his exceptional management skills while assigning reserve members to meet critical taskings in support of Overseas Contingency Operations. He facilitated more than four thousand Military Personnel Authorization days in 2010 which proved key to meeting all home station backfill requirements. Additionally, Sergeant Lennon instructed six Senior Noncommissioned Officers on the administration of the unit's Operational Risk Management program. His comprehensive approach and personal example pushed safe decision making throughout the organization, resulting in zero flight line mishaps in 2011. Lastly, Master Sergeant Lennon spearheaded a training review in preparation for the 2012 Air Force Inspector General Nuclear Surety Inspection. His foresight and actions to enforce compliance were indispensable to the squadron receiving a "Satisfactory" rating, the highest possible grade. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Master Sergeant Lennon reflect great credit upon himself, the 446th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, and the United States Air Force.

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Aircraft Maintenance Specialist

Technical Sergeant Oneill distinguished himself by meritorious service as Specialist, 477th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska from 2 September 2020 to 1 September 2023. During this period, Sergeant Oneill's unparalleled technical expertise and steadfast dedication enabled an astounding 80 percent mission capability standard, as he skillfully resolved an elusive code 3 condition by locating a broken transformer rectifier circuit. His pivotal role as a key technician was instrumental in generating 15 F-22s for the 3rd Wing's largest Moose Walk with less than 50 percent manning, securing the prestigious Installation Excellence Award. Sergeant Oneill's exceptional leadership was showcased during an F-22 rapid deployment plan, where he spearheaded the completion of 28 maintenance actions and generated 12 combat-ready aircraft for Polar Force Ace operation, culminating in an impressive 228 flight missions across 4 different locations. Furthermore, his unrivaled technical prowess was vital in rebuilding a crashed F-22, as he meticulously completed over 150 maintenance actions, rekeying and reloading multiple flight programs, ultimately saving the Air Force an astounding $170 million. The distinctive accomplishments of Technical Sergeant Oneill reflect credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.