C-17 crew chief wins big

by Airman 1st Class Jacob Jimenez
62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

4/18/2013 - JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash.  -- An Airman from the 62nd Maintenance Squadron here was recently named Air Mobility Command's Crew Chief of the Year.

Staff Sgt. Joshua Minoda, 62nd MXS crew chief, was named the command's top crew chief in an announcement made by AMC late last month. The announcement means he will now go on to compete for that title at the Air Force level.

Maj. Patrick Maddox, 62nd MXS commander, said Minoda is deserving of this recognition because he consistently demonstrates outstanding technical proficiency in his work.

"Sergeant Minoda's excellence was on display regardless of time or location," said Maddox. "It takes a truly remarkable individual to have success regardless of the situation he or she finds themselves in, but Minoda has epitomized this over the last year."

While assigned here, Minoda has completed more than 177 C-17 Globemaster III home station checks, deployed to New Zealand to generate mission support for the National Science Foundation in operations in Antarctica, and prepped aircraft for a weapons instructor course at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.

Since enlisting in the Air Force in 2004, Minoda has been selected as the 58th Maintenance Group 2009 Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Award winner, selected as a dedicated crew chief and is a recipient of the Air Force Commendation Medal.

Tech. Sgt. Adam Hargrove, 62nd MXS crew chief and Minoda's supervisor, said he believes that Minoda being named the AMC Crew Chief of the year is well deserved and that he is confident that Minoda will go on to win at the Air Force level.

"He exemplifies everything an Air Force staff sergeant should be," said Hargrove. "He has exceeded my expectations by miles and continues to raise the bar for other NCOs."

Minoda said that it is a great honor to know that the people he works with think he is deserving of such a title.

"There is no way I could have done without my team," said Minoda. "I feel fortunate that I've found a job I can come to everyday, where I work with great people who make every day a good day, even the bad ones."