Dedicated Crew Chief Citations

F-35 Integrated Dedicated Crew Chief

Staff Sergeant Shane T. Martin distinguished himself by meritorious service as F-35 Integrated Dedicated Crew Chief, 310th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 56th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 56th Maintenance Group, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, from 1 August 2023 to 28 March 2026. During this period, Sergeant Martin's outstanding professional skill and leadership were instrumental in executing high-tempo maintenance operations across a 24-aircraft F-35A fleet valued at $1.9 billion. He completed over 15,000 maintenance tasks and resolved 200 pilot-reported discrepancies, directly enabling 3,000 sorties and 33 pilot graduates while achieving the highest 8-hour fix rate in the Wing. Sergeant Martin's technical expertise drove mission success through the execution of complex maintenance actions, including Time Compliance Technical Directives, actuator replacements, and critical system recoveries that significantly enhanced aircraft reliability. He led teams executing eight rudder retrofits and coordinated with Lockheed Martin to restore key systems in under six hours, improving fleet performance and accelerating mission generation. Additionally, he resolved 140 Red-X conditions, eliminating 450 down days and contributing to the Wing's leading 62 percent aircraft availability. As a leader, Sergeant Martin developed and mentored Airmen across multiple sections, strengthening unit capability and accelerating upgrade timelines. He served as a Master Resilience Trainer, delivering Wing-level instruction and supporting over 200 Airmen and families, enhancing resilience and readiness. During INDOPACOM's largest exercise, he managed maintenance support for a 16-ship generation, enabling joint-force operations with five NATO partners, 45 combat training munitions releases, and 11 pilot upgrades. Hand-selected to serve as the Maintenance Group Commander's Executive, Sergeant Martin synchronized Wing, Group, and Squadron operations by coordinating over 200 high-level engagements, directly enhancing organizational effectiveness and senior leader decision-making. He also led the squadron's Airman for Life program, partnering with base agencies to deliver 34 professional development courses that strengthened Airmen's resilience and long-term readiness. Furthermore, he was competitively selected to represent his career field at the Headquarters Air Force 2A Career Field Strategy Working Group, contributing to initiatives impacting over 90,000 Airmen. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Martin reflect great credit upon himself, the 56th Maintenance Group, and the United States Air Force.

Dedicated Crew Chief

Staff Sergeant Ernesto Cardenas distinguished himself by meritorious service as a Dedicated Crew Chief, 492nd Fighter Generation Squadron, 48th Maintenance Group, 48th Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England. During this period in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, Sergeant Cardenas managed seven aircraft and executed 130 maintenance tasks and 29 scheduled inspections backed with 100 percent Maintenance Scheduling Effectiveness. Additionally, Sergeant Cardenas deployed to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, conducting Transient Alert, Crashed, Damaged, Disabled, Aircraft Removal where he performed 45 In-Flight emergency responses, managed 150 aircraft follow-me recoveries, collaborated with Turkish Air Force, and retrieved 27 F-16 drag chutes. Further, Sergeant Cardenas deployed in support of Atlas Guardian and led a team of four support personnel. He oversaw the construction and organization of the Support section, performed 127 Consolidated Tool Kit inspections, and established local tool accountability procedures. Finally, Sergeant Cardenas fueled 114 air-tasking order missions and 315 flight hours, supporting the protection of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's eastern flank. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Cardenas reflect credit upon himself, the 492d Fighter Generation Squadron and the United States Air Force.

AC-130J Assistant Dedicated Crew Chief

Senior Airman Alyssa M. Cruz distinguished herself by outstanding achievement as AC-130J Assistant Dedicated Crew Chief, 1st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida. During this time, Airman Cruz demonstrated professionalism when she optimized and prepared storage of dash-21 equipment worth 626,000 dollars to ensure unit readiness for a two hundred percent equipment and personnel increase. Additionally, Airman Cruz demonstrated versatility when she assembled 17 new e-Tool assets to increase weapons load capabilities by one hundred and twenty percent. Furthermore, she readied the AC-130J for combat operations when she prepared 400 items valued at over ten million dollars for mobile tool kit build-up. Finally, Airman Cruz proved her technical knowledge by accomplishing 40 aircraft inspections and correcting 27 delayed discrepancies with zero quality assurance failures. The distinctive accomplishments of Senior Airman Cruz reflect credit upon herself, the 1st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and the United States Air Force.

Dedicated Crew Chief, 437th AMXS

During this period, Sergeant Smith demonstrated incredible technical knowledge by troubleshooting a critical fire detection fault and assisting with the replacement of a high resistance fire loop, allowing an Operation Inherent Resolve support mission to depart on time. Once again utilizing his technical savvy, Sergeant Smith pinpointed an aircraft hydraulic leak and quickly replaced a damaged drain line, ensuring the delivery of sixty five tons of arms and ammunition within the AOR. Sergeant Smith has shown an innate ability to work quickly and safely under pressure, preparing and launching five aircraft in response to Hurricane Matthew, saving more than two billion dollars in AMC assets. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Smith reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

HH-60G Dedicated Crew Chief, 823d MXS

During this period, Sergeant Smith's advanced system knowledge was displayed when he was dispatched to analyze an intermittent engine start malfunction. He rapidly isolated and corrected the issue by replacing an auxiliary power unit and enabled a critical field exercise that trained 140 Horn of Africa CTF members. Additionally, Sergeant Smith showed great poise when he was tasked to pilot eight Red Balls. Without delay, he rectified all twenty four maintenance faults resulting in the combat spin-up qualification of five 66th Rescue Squadron aircrew members. Furthermore, Sergeant Smith's service-before-self mentality carried him through a 124-day deployment in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. He skillfully executed 333 maintenance actions supporting 344 flight hours, 134 combat sorties, and over two thousand hours of alert posture. Finally, Sergeant Smith embodied his squadron s mission when he flawlessly generated an HH-60G helicopter tasked with a real world search and rescue at Mount Zion National Park. His dedication was vital to the aircraft evacuation of the injured civilian, ultimately saving her life. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Smith reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

Assistant Dedicated Crew Chief, 23rd AMXS

His exemplary dedication to duty, coupled with his superior A-10 aircraft knowledge and maintenance practices, allowed him to maintain his aircraft at an unprecedented 85 percent mission-capable rate from July to September 2014 and directly contributed to the unit's 3,577 sorties and 10,000 flying hours for Fiscal Year 2014. Airman Smith's exceptional maintenance skills were evident when he spearheaded hydraulic system repairs after an in-flight failure. He expertly removed and replaced a faulty reservoir and completed system operational checks, ensuring his aircraft was mission-capable in less than 3 hours. Airman Smith performed an extensive cockpit search and recovered a shattered cockpit utility light lens which prevented the expenditure of 5 man-hours removing cockpit components and aircraft impoundment procedures. His high motivation and quality maintenance practices earned recognition on six "Atta Boys" by pilots for his outstanding attitude and launch procedures. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Smith reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

Dedicated Crew Chief, 355th FS

During this period, Airman Smith's dedication and technical knowledge while maintaining his assigned aircraft contributed to 1,236 combat sorties and a 100% ATO tasking order while deployed to Bagram Air Field. Additionally, his keen eye and quick action identified a ruptured brake line during aircraft launch and shut down the aircraft, averting damage to the hydraulic system and saving the Air Force over 15,000 dollars. Furthermore, Airman Smith's stringent attention to detail resulted in a 100% Quality Assurance pass rate on six inspections, boosting the squadron pass rate to 90%. Moreover, Airman Smith spearheaded the training of five fellow airmen on defuel procedures ensuring proper maintenance practices and boosting squadron certifications by 20%. Finally, Airman Smith exemplified our core values by volunteering over 40 hours building nine wheelchair ramps for the homeless, enhancing local community relationships. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Smith reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

Dedicated Crew Chief, 355th FS

During this period, Airman Smith's dedication and technical knowledge while maintaining his assigned aircraft culminated in a stellar 95 percent mission capable rate for August 2017 and contributed to the squadrons 100% ATO tasking during the 2016 Air Expeditionary Force deployment to Bagram Air Field. Additionally, his mission focus scrambled four alert aircraft leading to the destruction of seven enemy camps, weapons stockpiles, and facilitating the capture of two enemy combatants. Furthermore, Airman Smith's stringent work ethic lead to the review of over 5,000 Data Integrity Team inspections, and identifying and correcting over 100 discrepancies. Moreover, Airman Smith's vigilance led to the discovery of a cracked hydraulic manifold during an End of Runway inspection, his quick action shutting down the aircraft prevented imminent system failure, and saved the Air Force 20,000 dollars. Finally, Airman Smith's quality maintenance was exemplified with a 100% Quality Assurance pass rate on five inspections. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Smith reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

Dedicated Crew Chief

Staff Sergeant Christopher J. Blackwell distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Dedicated Crew Chief, 7th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 7th Maintenance Group, 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. During this period, Sergeant Blackwell's dedication led to the successful repair of a chronic aircraft wing sweep lockup ending a five-time repeat streak and two weeks of aircraft impoundment. Additionally, he was instrumental in the emergency response to and replacement of four blown main landing gear tires, clearing the active runway and allowing orbiting aircraft to land. Furthermore, Sergeant Blackwell's meticulous attention to detail shined through when he was handpicked to deploy as lead technician for GREEN FLAG 10-2 where his performance played a pivotal role in the generation of 41 scheduled sorties, meeting certification requirements for 32 aircrew members. Finally, his technical expertise was instrumental in the preparation of 20 aircraft for a no-notice Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty Inspection which ensured one hundred percent compliance. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Blackwell reflect great credit upon himself, the 7th Aircraft Maintenance Unit and the United States Air Force.

F-35 Dedicated Crew Chief

Staff Sergeant Skyler R. DeBoer distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as F-35 Dedicated Crew Chief, 412th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 412th Test Wing, Edwards Air Force Base, California. During this period, Sergeant DeBoer played a crucial role in the Edwards Joint Strike Fighter ITF from preparation of initial aircraft arrival to aiding in expanding our test capabilities. Sergeant DeBoer coordinated the build-up of ten maintenance work stations within six-sigma guidelines, ensuring the ITF would be primed for maintenance upon receiving its first two F-35 aircraft. In addition, during a pre-flight inspection, Sergeant DeBoer discovered a design flaw in the aircraft inlet when he detected cracks in various critical locations, resulting in a design change implemented fleet wide for future F-35s. Further, Sergeant DeBoer conducted an F-35 familiarization course for 45 base fire department personnel on emergency crew escape procedures, making a wider variety of tests possible. Finally, Sergeant DeBoer blueprinted two TCTDs to validate and verify 72 critical procedures for the entire F-35 program, ensuring the $240 billion dollar program met its timeline. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant DeBoer reflect great credit upon himself, the 412th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, and the United States Air Force.

Assistant Dedicated Crew Chief

Senior Airman Aaron C. Moynihan distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Assistant Dedicated Crew Chief, 57th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 57th Fighter Wing, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. During this period, Airman Moynihan maintained a 100 percent Quality Assurance pass rate on five inspections, leading Viper AMU to an amazing 90.8 percent overall pass rate for April to July 2010. Additionally, Airman Moynihan identified and repaired a Main Landing Gear brake swivel during aircraft launch procedures. His actions ensured his aircraft made its next scheduled sortie and aided in Viper's 3.5 percent abort rate during September 2010. Futhermore, Airman Moynihan's dedication and maintenance performance was also demonstrated by his off-duty efforts in pursuing his CCAF degree and earning three credit hours while maintaining a 3.5 grade point average. Finally, Airman Moynihan's drive and skill enabled him to pinpoint an Accessory Drive Gearbox (ADG) differential pressure (Delta-P) indicator extended where he replaced a contaminated filter, preventing a class-A mishap and saving a 35 million dollar aircraft. The distinctive accomplishments of Airman Moynihan reflect credit upon himself, the 57th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and the United States Air Force.

Phase Team Member & Dedicated Crew Chief

Staff Sergeant Erich A. Braasch distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Phase Team Member, 56th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, 56th Maintenance Group, 56th Fighter Wing, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. During this period, as a Dedicated Crew Chief, Sergeant Braasch maintained his aircraft 90-0769 at a stellar 99 percent mission capable rate, crushing the Air and Education Training Command standard by 18 percent. Additionaly, he continued a 100 percent Quality Assurance pass rate on nine maintenance inspections, contributing to the Wing's 2008 Excellent Unit Compliance Inspection rating. As Phase Team member, Sergeant Braasch completed mulitple one-time inspections on leading edge flap closure ribs, identifying cracks on six aircraft, preventing a possible Class A mishap. Finally, he flawlessly executed 24 aircraft phase inspections, 90 time change items, and 36 one-time inspections, garnering the 2009 Air and Education Training Command Maintenance Effectiveness Award. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Braasch reflect credit upon himself, the 56th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, and the United States Air Force.

Assistant Dedicated Crew Chief

Airman First Class Alexander M. Bauman distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Assistant Dedicated Crew Chief, 748th Aircraft Maintenace Squadron, 48th Maintenance Group, 48th Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England. During this period, Airman Bauman showcased his skill and attention to detail by aiding with two six hundred hour aircraft phase inspections, during which he completed over two hundred seventy four carded items and received two quality assurance top performer awards. Additionally, Airman Bauman completed all of his upgrade training four months ahead of schedule, which enabled him time to complete six classes towards his Airframe and Powerplant Certification while maintaining a perfect grade point average. Furthermore, Airman Bauman expeditiously responded to multiple real-world alert launches while deployed in Afghanistan. His swift actions resulted in the return of six civilian lives and seventy nine medevac missions. The distinctive accomplishments of Airman Bauman reflect great credit upon himself, the 748th Aircraft Maintenace Squadron and the United States Air Force.