305th MOS inactivates, members stay put

by Airman Sean M. Crowe
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs

5/17/2013 - JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Maj. Stephen Grove, 305th Maintenance Operations Squadron commander, relinquished command of the 305th MOS during the unit's inactivation ceremony May 9, 2013, here.

The 305th MOS was the first squadron of its kind to be redesignated to the 305th Maintenance Group Maintenance Operations (305th MXG/MO).

The new 305th MXG/MO commander, 2nd Lt. Maritza Mendoza, will take charge of all members of the old squadron.

Headquarters Air Force directed all maintenance operations squadrons which fall under non-ICBM wings to no longer be squadrons and instead serve as part of the maintenance groups. All maintenance squadrons must be in accordance with the new structures by Sep. 30, 2013, according to the HQ AF memorandum.

"This ceremony will bring the 305th MOS in alignment with all other bases," said Master Sgt. Don Romaca, 305th MXG Quality Assurance Office chief inspector. "Today's restructure is a shining example of the great flexibility our Air Force has to realign itself and maximize its ability to meet future challenges."

The alignment will ultimately create more competitive command opportunities and better prepare field and company grade officers within the maintenance officer career field, according to the memorandum signed by Maj. Gen. John B. Cooper, deputy chief of staff for logistics, installations and mission support director of logistics.

Company-grade officers (second lieutenants through captains) may have difficulties adjusting to the level of responsibility they will encounter with the restructure.

"It's going to be a challenge using the experience I have to fill the responsibilities of a major," said Mendoza. "Second lieutenants are rarely in charge of so many people. I will be looking to my senior noncommissioned officers and experienced civilians for guidance. I'm looking at it as a huge opportunity, on the other hand, to gain experience and increase my learning curve."

Mendoza will take charge of all functions and manpower per Air Force Instruction 38-101.

"Today the organization stays intact," said Col. John Mateer, 305th MXG commander. "Maintenance operations is a critical component of our aircraft and munitions maintenance support of the air mobility mission."

Maintenance operations drive the maintenance mission by providing management to the group in the following ways: budgeting, planning, real-property management, training, mobility, manpower and scheduling. The section also manages safety and environmental standards, quality assurance and analysis for the wing's maintenance activities. Maintenance operations play a role in almost every function of the maintenance group.

"I like to think of our other four squadrons as the cogs of a very large machine," said Mateer. "The support which Maintenance Operations offers is the grease between those cogs."

Grove assumed command of the 605th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron May 10, 2013, here.

The 305th MOS's lineage began when the squadron was established the 305th Station Complement Squadron Nov. 2, 1943, and activated Dec. 5, 1943. The squadron was then inactivated Nov. 20, 1945, and disbanded Oct. 8, 1948. It was then reestablished and redesignated 305th Logistics Support Squadron Aug. 29, 1991, and Sept. 1, 1991, respectively. The 305th LSS was inactivated Aug. 20, 1993, and then reactivated and redesignated 305th Maintenance Operations Squadron Oct. 1, 1994, and Oct. 1, 2002, respectively.