Wing earns Daedalian trophy

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Imie Mark III
  • 56th Maintenance Group
The 56th Fighter Wing swept the competition, earning the Air Force's top maintenance honors as the recipient of the 2006 Clements McMullen Memorial Daedalian Weapon System Maintenance Trophy. 

First awarded in 1960, this trophy is given annually to the Air Force unit determined to have the best weapon system maintenance record over the past year. Lt. Gen. Donald Wetekam, Installations and Logistics deputy chief of staff for Headquarters U.S. Air Force, will present the trophy to thewing Saturday at the Maintenance Professional of the Year banquet. 

Daedalus, the first person ever to accomplish heavier-than air flight, according to the legend, is the namesake of both the award and the organization of military pilots who grant it. Not only was he the first pilot, he was a skilled, mature craftsman, representing the maintainers honored by the trophy.
 
While the award is based on the accomplishments of the 56th Maintenance Group, it's only appropriate that it is presented to the 56th Fighter Wing. Without medical care for the maintainers, the diverse functions of the mission support group,and the inseparable scheduling teamwork with the operations group, the wing would never have generated 34,941 sorties and flown 47,384 hours to graduate 377 combat ready pilots and 275 new crew chiefs in 2006. 

We've proven we have the best maintenance in the Air Force. As we move forward to compete for top honors at the Defense Department level, we can say in unison, "Beware theThunderbolt!"