494th leads in TLP

A 48th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aircraft armament system technician stands by to marshal out an F-15E Strike Eagle before a sortie in support of Tactical Leadership Programme 16-3 at Los Llanos Air Base, Spain, Sept. 30. The 48th AMU belongs to the 48th Maintenance Group, which recently won a 2016 Secretary of Defense Maintenance Award, a DOD-level award, for their efforts at RAF Lakenheath and abroad. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Staff Sgt. Emerson Nuñez)

494th armed, ready

A three-man weapons load crew team, from the 48th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, load an AIM-120 onto an F-15E Strike Eagle after a sortie in support of Tactical Leadership Programme 16-3 at Los Llanos Air Base, Spain, Sept. 19. The 48th AMU belongs to the 48th Maintenance Group, which recently won a 2016 Secretary of Defense Maintenance Award, a DOD-level award, for their efforts at RAF Lakenheath and abroad. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Staff Sgt. Emerson Nuñez)

Weapons load crews compete for top title

A 494th Aircraft Maintenance Unit weapons load crew team chief prepares ammunition to be loaded onto an F-15E Strike Eagle at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, Oct. 6. The 494th AMU belongs to the 48th Maintenance Group, which recently won a 2016 Secretary of Defense Maintenace Award, a DOD-level award, for their efforts at RAF Lakenheath. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Eli Chevalier)

MXG receives DOD-level award

Published Oct. 19, 2016
By Airman 1st Class Eli Chevalier
48 Fighter Wing Public Affairs

ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --

The 48th Maintenance Group won a 2016 Secretary of Defense Maintenance Award, a Department of Defense field-level maintenance award, at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England , Sept. 16.

“The award validates the hard work, leadership, innovation and constant mission execution of a Liberty maintenance workforce that prides itself in being the best each and every day,” said Col. Brian Stuart, 48th MXG commander. “They find ways to keep airplanes flying, keep aircrew ready and deliver precise combat power from the air, whenever tasked.”

The 48th MXG earned the award for their efforts in generating 9,782 sorties and 27,715 flying hours while deploying Airmen to aid in operations in the Middle East.

“This outstanding group of maintainers has demonstrated the ability and willingness to take on more missions despite current resourcing levels, and they get it done in dynamic environments,” said Stuart. “The result is a mission effectiveness like I have never seen before.”

The award is slated to be presented Dec. 6 at the DOD Symposium in Albuquerque, N.M. The award solidifies the group’s position as a premier maintenance group in not only the Air Force, but the DOD as a whole.