36th MXG adopts maintenance operations flight

by Airman 1st Class Emily A. Bradley
36th Wing Public Affairs

11/13/2013 - ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam  -- The 36th Maintenance Group's Maintenance Operations Flight was recently renamed "maintenance operations" and merged with other elements of the 36th MXG staff in early September as part of an Air Force-wide deactivation order.

"Although with this deactivation comes the end of the 36th Maintenance Operations Flight, their strong tradition of maintenance excellence remains inherent in the 36th Maintenance Group staff. The merger ensures that the functional competencies of maintenance operations are a direct reflection of maintenance group leadership goals and objectives," said Col. Kim Brooks, 36th MXG commander. "We will continue to depend on the outstanding contributions of our maintenance planners, schedulers, analysis, training, programming and operations center members."


Maintenance operations, previously known as the maintenance operations flight, is responsible for five functional sections: maintenance management analysis, maintenance management scheduling, maintenance training, maintenance operations center and programs and resources. Each section will continue their respected missions as they normally would.

"The maintenance operations flight is traditionally subordinate to a maintenance operations squadron, but the squadron does not exist on Andersen," said Master Sgt. David Whetzel, 36th MXG maintenance operations superintendent. "The [maintenance operations flight] still offers all the services that would normally be provided by the squadron."

The inactivation of the flight is part of an Air Force-wide initiative, initially presented by the Air Force Reserve Command, to better align maintenance objectives for the future fiscal years, Whetzel said.

The primary cause of the deactivation of all maintenance operations squadrons and flights is a shortage of field grade officers, specifically majors, in the maintenance community, he added.

Functionally, there has been no change in the day-to-day procedures. Maintenance operations is the central agency for monitoring and developing long-range strategies to maintain aircraft and resources. The section ensures effective use of available resources to accomplish the aircraft support and maintenance events to support the flying schedule.

"Maintenance operations will continue to provide the same expertise in contribution to the wing's overall mission success," Whetzel said.