Photo By Senior Airman Aaron Guerrisky | U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Harry A. Reynolds, the 356th Aircraft Maintenance...... read more read more
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EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska – The Maintenance Professional of the Year, or MPOY, Award is a very competitive award. Its nominees are selected from a variety of Air Force Specialty Codes that directly and indirectly support flying operations. These Airmen work daily to ensure Aircraft are in tip top shape for Aircrew to execute their mission.
Pacific Air Forces named Senior Master Sgt. Harry A. Reynolds, the 356th Aircraft Maintenance Unit weapons section chief, the 2019 PACAF MPOY for the Senior Noncommissioned Officer category.
Reynolds was nominated for the award primarily for his work during a year-long remote tour at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea.
“I served in the 51st Munitions Squadron where my team and I supported the A-10 and F-16 weapons systems ensuring a viable deterrent to [local] threats,” said Reynolds. “In addition, I was selected as Wing Weapons Manager where I served as the weapons functional for the base, managing over 250 personnel, and the weapons systems of 52 A-10 and F-16 aircraft.”
After the remote tour overseas, Reynolds headed to interior Alaska where he has been instrumental in standing up the weapons section to support F-35A Lightning II flying operations.
“I manage a team of personnel who maintain the F-35 weapons system to ensure its reliability, maintain loading certification on a multitude of munitions to ensure their precision and inspect aircraft configurations to ensure its lethality,” said Reynolds, a Missouri native.
Having been assigned at Eielson AFB previously, Reynolds can attest to the challenges of aircraft maintenance in Alaska that are unlike anywhere else in the world.
“When the dead of winter is here, you are dealing with lots of snow, ice, -40 degrees and darkness for almost 24 hours of the day,” said Reynolds. “In the summer, the temperature can reach 100 degrees and the sun is out for nearly 24 hours of the day. These extreme differences definitely produce unique challenges, but we Alaska maintainers take them all head on.”
After more than two decades in the Air Force, Reynolds’ greatest accomplishments are his family, his 21-year marriage with his wife Alina and his 11 children. Now he’s added one more thing to that list
“Getting selected as the PACAF MPOY is quite humbling because I know these guys and what they produce,” said Reynolds.
When asked who has had the most impact in his career, Reynolds had two answers.
“My God, through faith, has seen me through every step of the way,” he said. “My wife has been my rock and has fully supported me allowing me to work at my full potential.”
Story was originally posted to the Eielson Air Force Base website on May 29, 2020 and may be found at https://www.eielson.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2202718/eielson-maintainer-humbled-by-pacific-air-forces-award/.
| Date Taken: | 05.29.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 05.29.2020 17:19 |
| Story ID: | 371090 |
| Location: | EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, AK, US |
| Web Views: | 63 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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