Photo By Shawna Keyes | Tech. Sgt. David Todd, 4th Maintenance Group weight and balance manager, evaluates...... read more read more
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SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. - Twenty Airmen assigned to the 4th Maintenance Group competed in a Dedicated Eagle Keeper competition here, Jan. 16.
The 4th Fighter Wing has held monthly, quarterly and annual weapons career field competitions for decades, according to Senior Master Sgt. Ray Rogers, 4th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron assistant superintendent, but the other maintenance career fields haven't had anything comparable until a few years ago.
In 2012, Chief Master Sgt. Jay Mason, then the 4th FW's weapons manager, came up with the idea for a competition that would incorporate the other career fields found in the maintenance group and named it the Dedicated Eagle Keeper competition. Senior Master Sgts. Tracy Wehner and Eric Waaler developed the program further, holding the inaugural competition in the first quarter of 2013.
The competition breaks down as follows. Each aircraft maintenance unit uses their best aircraft and selects their most accomplished maintainers to compete. Evaluated by quality assurance personnel, the contest features challenges tailored for crew chiefs and other maintenance specialists. The competition consists of a support section challenge, inspecting one tool kit to ensure its contents are serviceable; a dedicated crew chief challenge, servicing a nose strut to ensure the hydraulics and the strut can work properly; and an avionics pod challenge, properly installing a Sniper targeting pod. Factors evaluated during the challenges include time, accuracy, abiding by technical data and safety. All participants also take a knowledge test, and Chief Master Sgt. Jeffrey Craver, 4th FW command chief, conducted an Air Force Instruction 36-2903 Dress and Appearance inspection which factors into the final scores for each team.
Tech. Sgt. David Todd, a 4th MXG weight and balance manager who judged competitions throughout the day, said he's been in quality assurance for a year and a half and this was his fourth Dedicated Eagle Keeper competition.
"The benefits of doing these Dedicated Eagle Keeper competitions are the camaraderie they build between the aircraft maintenance units and the challenge the competition brings," Todd said. "These guys are out on the flightline every day, all day long, busting their knuckles, and I think this is a lot of fun for them."
The results of the competition will be officially announced Feb. 20 during a ceremony with awards presented by Col. Darrell Steele, 4th MXG commander.
"It was an honor to be picked for the competition and be among the best on the flightline," said Senior Airman Bryan Atchison, 4th AMXS avionics technician, representing the 334th AMU. "This was my first time participating and it was a lot of fun."
| Date Taken: | 01.23.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 01.26.2015 14:02 |
| Story ID: | 152721 |
| Location: | SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 59 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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