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Team Charleston maintainers earn 3rd consecutive Daedalian Tophy

  • Published
  • By Michael Dukes
  • 315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
C-17 Globemaster III maintainers of the 437th and 315th Maintenance Groups at Joint Base Charleston have once again demonstrated that they are the cream of the crop after earning the 2016 Clements McMullen Daedalian Trophy for the third year in a row.

"Our Total Force Airmen are without a doubt the best in the Air Force. This cohesive team is simply amazing,” said Col. Sharon Johnson, 315th MXG commander. “They care about our mission to fly and fix aircraft and train the next generation of maintainers. They are professional Airmen!”

The award citation stated Team Charleston maintainers accomplished superior aircraft maintenance during the period Oct. 1, 2015 through Sept. 30, 2016. As the 18th Air Force Commander’s Airlift Wing of Choice in Air Mobility Command, Team Charleston generated airlift support for contingency and humanitarian operations worldwide utilizing 48 assigned C-17s valued at 10.2 billion dollars, logged 38,000 flying hours, carried 2,200 passengers and 15,019 tons of cargo, and took on 34 percent of Air Mobility Command’s workload.

The award continued by pointing out what makes Team Charleston stand above their peers in their expert support of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, 18th Airborne Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division and the 75th Ranger Regiment by successfully airdropping 120,000 personnel and 675,000 pounds of equipment and certifying each unit as 100 percent combat ready.”

“As Tanker Airlift Control Center’s most highly utilized C-17 unit, Team Charleston responded impeccably when directed to provide aid to the Nepal earthquake relief efforts, generating 16 missions and 59 Urban Response teams in less than 72 hours, airlifting aid for more than 1.4 million victims,” the citation noted.

Team Charleston also successfully executed two historic mission in support of the U.S. President, safeguarding his first ever visit to Hiroshima and the first visit to Cuba in over 88 years.

“This award, combined with our wing winning the Fourth Air Force Raincross Trophy really shows the exceptional talent Joint Base Charleston is able to attract and keep,” Johnson added. “I am beyond blessed to be amongst this talent group!”

"Congratulations to the men and women of the 315th and 437th MXGs for their 2016 Daedalian Weapon System Maintenance Trophy win," said Col. Gregory Gilmour, 315th AW commander. "This accomplishment represents hard work, dedication and exemplary total force integration. I'm proud that the best and most integrated maintenance groups in the Air Force have been recognized."

“This honor also shows why the 437 AW/315 AW partnership continues to be model for Total Force Integration relationships--not only in the command but across our Air Force,” said Col. Jimmy Canlas, 437th AW commander. “The teamwork, cooperation, and professionalism displayed daily between our teams is an enduring testament why we continued to be recognized as the best.”

The Clements McMullen Memorial Daedalian Weapon System Maintenance Trophy, first awarded in 1960, is presented annually to an Air Force unit determined by Headquarters Air Force to have the best weapon system maintenance record for the preceding calendar year.