An official website of the United States Government 
Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov

.gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

You have accessed part of a historical collection on defense.gov. Some of the information contained within may be outdated and links may not function. Please contact the DOD Webmaster with any questions.
Immediate Release

2015 Department of Defense Maintenance Award Winners Announced

The Department of Defense (DoD) announced the 2015 winners of the Secretary of Defense Maintenance Awards for depot and field-level units. These awards are presented annually to recognize outstanding achievements in weapon system and military equipment maintenance.

 

The depot-level award is named in recognition of Robert T. Mason, a former assistant deputy undersecretary of defense for maintenance policy, programs, and resources. Mason served as the champion of organic depot maintenance for three decades and was instrumental in transforming DoD organic depot-level operations. The 2015 Robert T. Mason Depot Maintenance Excellence Award is the Test Measurement and Diagnostic Equipment Program at Marine Depot Maintenance Command, Marine Corps Logistics Base, Albany, Georgia. This team excelled at delivering world-class, value-based repair and test solutions that produced more than $2 million dollars in cost avoidances, generated cost savings of more than $600 thousand dollars, and realized more than $2 million dollars in return on investments, ultimately providing the Marine Corps with more "Buying Power".

 

A total of six field-level awards are presented in three categories -- large, medium, and small. The recipients of this year's Secretary of Defense Field-level Maintenance Awards in the large category are the 2d Maintenance Battalion, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and the Trident Refit Facility, Kings Bay, Georgia. Winners in the medium category are the Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 13, Marine Corps Station Yuma, Arizona and the USS GETTYSBURG (CG64), Naval Station Mayport, Florida. The small category winners are the Maintenance Company, Group Support Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (A), Fort Carson, Colorado, and the 801st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Florida.

 

The Secretary of Defense Field-level Maintenance Awards are symbolized by the legendary Phoenix, a mythological bird which lived for some five centuries, died, was consumed by flames, and then reborn from its own ashes. Periodically, so states the myth, the Phoenix would again and again be reborn. This unique ability of the legendary Phoenix to rejuvenate and renew itself characterizes the role of weapon systems and maintenance in the DoD. The winner of the Phoenix Award, recognized as the best of the best field-level maintenance units, will be selected from the six field-level award winners.

 

The department also recognized excellence in maintenance training, advice, and assistance of foreign security forces. Awards were presented in two categories - ministerial and operational. The recipients of this year's Secretary of Defense Award for Excellence in Maintenance Training, Advice, and Assistance of Foreign Security Forces Award in the ministerial category is the Global Ministry of Defense Advisors Program, DoD Country Team - Montenegro. The operational category winners are the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force, United States Air Force Central Command and the 317th Support Maintenance Company, 18th Sustainment Support Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, U.S. Army Europe.

 

The awards will be presented to the winners on Dec. 8 in the Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix, Arizona during the awards ceremony part of the 2015 DoD Maintenance Symposium.