NAVAL AIR STATION JOINT RESERVE BASE FORT WORTH, Texas – The 301st Maintenance Group (MXG) held their annual Maintenance Professional of the Year (MPOY) ceremony here, April 6, 2024.
The MPOY ceremony is a traditional event that allows group leadership to recognize their Airmen’s successes and achievements throughout the previous year, cultivating an atmosphere of unity and strength as a team.
Retired Lieutenant General Bruce Litchfield, former Air Force sustainment commander with over three decades in service, joined the event as a guest speaker. The current vice president of sustainment operations for Lockheed Martin Corporation’s aeronautics business thanked the Airmen for their work.
“The backbone of our force makes the Air Force unstoppable and is something to celebrate today and every day,” Litchfield affirmed. “You are protecting our most precious freedoms of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Litchfield also foreshadowed the MXG’s journey with the new F-35 aircraft arriving in the coming months.
“The F-35 is a strategic asset not only for our nation, but for our world,” he stated. “Your work in sustaining the F-35 and generating its interoperability anywhere is critical to our mission.”
He concluded his speech with a message about resilience and readiness.
“There is no substitute for resilient airmen,” He stated. “At the end of the day, what matters is what you're producing for tomorrow, how you’re taking care of others and the legacy you leave behind.”
After the guest’s speech, MXG leadership presented forty-four awards to Airmen or teams of Airmen recognizing various skills, roles and achievements within the group. The awards included named awards and achievement awards from Knuckle Buster to Military Professional of the Year.
2023 MPOY winners are listed below:
Maintenance Professional of the Year:
-Airman: Senior Airman Teandre K. Hunter
-NCO: Tech. Sgt. Wade G. Ash
-SNCO: Master Sgt. John A. Derden
Maintenance Support Professional of the Year:
-Airman:Senior Airman Brett C. King
-NCO: Tech. Sgt. Tyler L. Willis
-SNCO: Master Sgt. Randy J. Jimenez
-CIV: Mr. Charles N. Ewing
Chief Master Sgt. Thomas Barnes Crew Chief of the Year
-Tech. Sgt. Luke S. Linhares
Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Aircraft Maintenance Technician
-Staff Sgt. Jared T. Durocher
Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Aircraft Maintenance Civilian Technician
-Mr. Keegan D. Olsen
Lt. Gen Leo Marquez Aircraft Maintenance Technician Supervisor
-Staff Sgt. Luis J. Olague
Lt. General Leo Marquez Aircraft Maintenance Supervisor Manager
-Senior Master Sgt. Vincent J. De La O
Lt. General Leo Marquez Aircraft Maintenance Company Grade Officer
-Capt. Eric B. Dufour
Lt. General Leo Marquez Aircraft Maintenance Field Grade Officer
-Maj. Kelly M. Ryan
Lt. General Leo Marquez Munitions/Missile Maintenance Technician
-Senior Airman Austin N. Early
Lt. General Leo Marquez Munitions/Missile Maintenance Civilian Technician
-Ms. Ebony L. Hawthorne
Lt. General Leo Marquez Munitions/Missile Maintenance Technician Supervisor
-Staff Sgt. Keyshawn A. Johnson
Lt. General Leo Marquez Munitions/Missile Maintenance Supervisor Manager
-Master Sgt. Brydie W. Lloyd III
Lt. General Leo Marquez Munitions/Missile Maintenance Civilian Manager
-Mr. Dakota R. Daniel
Capt. Lance P. Sijan Award
-NCO: Tech. Sgt. Chevonne E. Charmant
-SNCO: SMSgt. Kyle L. Truelsen
-Senior Officer: Maj. Robert A. Bloom
Maintenance Section of the Year
-Maintenance Squadron - Fabrication Flight
Lt. Gen. Lew Allen Award
-SNCO: Senior Master Sgt. Brian J. Knispel
-Officer: Maj. Kelly M. Ryan
Weapons Load Crew of the Year:
-Staff Sgt. Ricardo Garcia
-Staff Sgt. Keyshawn Johnson
-Senior Airman Brandon Davis
RegAF Contributor
-Enlisted: Staff Sgt. Gavin M. Grant
-Officer: Capt. Eric B. Dufour
Knuckle Buster
-301st MXG: Staff Sgt. Kerry M. Mergler
-301st AMS: Tech. Sgt. Bobby G. Mitchell
-301st MXS: Staff Sgt. Brodhi J. Strong
Outstanding Munitions Maintenance Manager:
-Master Sgt. Randy C. Jimenez
Outstanding Munitions Maintenance Supervisor:
-Staff Sgt. Clarence A. Cobb
Outstanding Munitions Maintenance Technician:
-Senior Airman Seth C. Long