AFSC 1P0X1
Aircrew Flight Equipment Technician
Awards
See also: Navy Aircrew Survival Equipmentman Awards
Aircrew Flight Equipment Technician
Technical Sergeant Stephine I. Ervin-Burney distinguished herself by outstanding achievement as an Aircrew Flight Equipment Technician, 756th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Det 1, Undisclosed Location, in direct support of Operation EPIC FURY from 1 March 2026 to 25 July 2026. During this period, Technical Sergeant Ervin-Burney coordinated mobility requirements and sustained mission readiness in a high-tempo environment under threat conditions. As the primary flightline lead for night shift operations, she directed AFE support across 24-hour operations for more than 60 assigned aircraft. Her leadership strengthened inspections, safeguarded life-sustaining equipment and ensured the safety of more than 420 aircrew members. Additionally, she maintained uninterrupted mission execution during 175 alarm conditions and over 700 incoming ballistic missile threats while ensuring accountability. She maintained and configured 132 Combat Survivor Evader Locator devices through more than 70 special instruction changes, enhancing recovery efforts. Her efforts enabled over 1,700 combat sorties, supported 5,000 receiver aircraft, offloaded more than 83 million pounds of fuel and sustained over 10,000 combat flying hours. The distinctive accomplishments of Technical Sergeant Ervin-Burney reflect great credit upon herself and the United States Air Force.
Aircrew Flight Equipment Technician
Senior Airman Noah Sovis distinguished himself by outstanding achievement as an Aircrew Flight Equipment Technician, 729th Expeditionary Air Squadron, Al Udeid AB Qatar, from 10 February 2025 to 26 March 2025. During this period, Airman Sovis volunteered for a last-minute deployment, exemplifying his dedication to service. He conducted over 500 aircraft and equipment inspections, maintaining an impeccable 100 percent aircraft readiness rate. Airman Sovis' expertise was instrumental in troubleshooting and repairing numerous communication discrepancies while inspecting HGU-55P helmets and MBU-12/P masks, ensuring full operational readiness. His meticulous efforts directly contributed to 142 combat sorties, the safe transport of 7.3 million pounds of critical cargo and the movement of 3,259 passengers in support of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, PROSPERITY GUARDIAN, and SPARTAN SHIELD. The distinctive accomplishments of Senior Airman Sovis reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
Aircrew Flight Equipment Technician
Staff Sergeant Anthony Crago distinguished himself by meritorious service while assigned as Aircrew Flight Equipment Technician, 89th Operations Support Squadron, 89th Airlift Wing, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. In this capacity, the professional skill, leadership, and ceaseless efforts of Sergeant Crago contributed to the success of over 1500 Special Air Missions resulting in 11,000 mishap-free flying hours with zero Aircrew Flight Equipment delays. In addition, he enhanced survival capabilities by replacing 166 lithium batteries two months ahead of schedule during a critical PRC-90 radio Time Change Technical Order (TCTO), effectively ensuring aircrew protection was met downrange by supporting four C-130 aircraft. Moreover, his contributions enabled the evacuation of 274 patients and the delivery of over 25,000 troops and 3,000 tons of cargo in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Finally, his strict oversight of the hazardous materials program earned an Excellent rating during the 89th Airlift Wing hazardous material inspection. The distinctive accomplishments of Staff Sergeant Crago reflect credit upon himself, the 89th Operations Support Squadron and the United States Air Force.
Aircrew Flight Equipment Craftsman
Staff Sergeant Roger Schaetzel distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Aircrew Flight Equipment Craftsman, 86th Operations Support Squadron, 86th Operations Group, 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein Air Base Germany. During this period, Sergeant Schaetzel served as the Flightline section Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge, conducting 60 critical point inspections on life saving equipment, increasing aircrew survivability and contributing to the flight winning the United States Air Forces in Europe Large Aircrew Flight Equipment Program of the Year. Additionally, as the Aircrew Flight Equipment Quality Assurance Superintendent, he established a Quality Assurance program database, eliminating duplicate efforts and boosted efficiency by over fifty percent. Moreover, he efficiently supported Off Station Training for the 37th Airlift Squadron, resulting in over 200 jumpers being qualified, which was recognized as an outstanding mission success. Finally he installed an innovative digital Technical Order program to replace paper Technical Orders increasing workcenter productivity. The distinctive accomplishments of Staff Sergeant Schaetzel reflect credit upon himself, the 86th Operations Support Squadron and the United States Air Force.
Aircrew Flight Equipment technician
Staff Sergeant Drew Hunter distinguished himself by outstanding achievement while serving as an Aircrew Flight Equipment technician, 347th Operations Support Squadron (OSS), 347th Rescue Group, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. During this period, Sergeant Hunter deployed to Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan and served as Senior Airman in charge of the Aircrew Flight Equipment section. His supervision resulted in the flawless encrypted programming of 45 survival radios, ensuring mission success for the CSAR squadron and Afghan Presidential Candidate Special Ops team. In addition, he maintained, inspected, and repaired a shifting inventory of Night Vision Goggles, sustaining zero operational delays and enhancing night-time operations. Moreover, he served as the deployed account custodian responsible for over 600,000 dollars in critical Aircrew Flight Equipment and for maintaining Flight Equipment for 30 aircrews, six special operation teams, and six HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. Finally, he served as a vital team member in the construction of 50 tents, seven latrines, and seven shower shave units, in a record 60 hours. The distinctive accomplishments of Staff Sergeant Hunter reflect great credit upon himself, the 347th Operations Support Squadron and the United States Air Force.
Aircrew Flight Equipment Casual Lieutenant
Lieutenant Steve C. Watson distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Aircrew Flight Equipment Casual Lieutenant, 479th Operations Support Squadron, 479th Flying Training Wing, Pensacola NAS, Florida. During this period, Lieutenant Watson's outstanding organizational skills, drive, and leadership aided in the success of the Combat Systems Operator's Aircrew Flight Equipment program. He utilized his architectural and self-help background on several flight self improvement projects, allowing Aircrew Flight Equipment personnel to focus on daily and immediate mission requirements. After analyzing operations, he revised and reconfigured 276 drawers and shelves, ensuring accurate inventory of build up, replacement components, and serviceable equipment, resulting in an innovative method of tracking equipment items and the ability to quickly outfit customers in a timely manner. Finally, he maintained positive control of and safely transported, organized, and prepared for use, a variety of radio equipment testing units, survival radios, and oxygen connectors valued at more than two hundred thousand dollars. The distinctive accomplishments of Lieutenant Watson reflect credit upon himself, the 479th Operations Support Squadron and the United States Air Force.
Deployed Life Support Element Leader
Senior Airman Michael J. Rowland distinguished himself by outstanding achievement as deployed Life Support element, 30th Special Operations Squadron, 437th Special Operations Wing, Joint Special Operations Air Component, Special Operations Command from 14 April 2002 to 20 August 2002. During this period, Airman Rowland served as the deployed Account Custodian responsible for over 600,000 dollars in critical life support equipment and was responsible for maintaining life support equipment for 27 aircrews, six special operation teams, and seven MH-53 Pave Low helicopters. His attention to detail ensured all combat flight crews had the appropriate radios with secure frequencies and codes enabling on-time launch of alert and scheduled airframes. His efforts were responsible for the successful accomplishment of over 120 sorties, amassing over 200 combat hours while simultaneously providing 100 percent reliable life support provisioning. Additionally, his rapid response to six last minute equipment problems prevented delays and enabled the MH-53 aircrews to log a 100 percent alert response rate. Finally, Airman Rowland voluntered for key additional duties as flightline security, alert driver, and concealed weapons monitor. His dedication to the morale, welfare, and safety of his extended family of 220 unit personnel supported a solid mission focus and were recognized by the Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel he served and protected. The distinctive accomplishments of Airman Rowland reflect credit upon himself, the 30th Special Operations Squadron, and the United States Air Force.