OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- The 36th Aircraft Maintenance Unit held a ceremony to recognize 27 members of the unit as dedicated crew chiefs (DCCs) for their work at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, March 21, 2022.
The purpose of the Dedicated Crew Chief Ceremony is to formally appoint those selected as DCCs to assume the responsibility of their aircraft while celebrating their accomplishment with their peers.
“The ceremony is a presentation to recognize those who have been chosen and granted the responsibility of their own aircraft,” said Staff Sgt. Tyler Bunn, 36th Aircraft Maintenance Unit F-16 Fighting Falcon dedicated crew chief. “In my opinion, the ceremony is important because it shows appreciation to all of us as DCC’s from not only our peers, but our pilots as well.”
A pilot, assigned to the same aircraft as the DCC, presented each newly recognized DCC with a coin, certificate and patch which officially designates the crew chief to their aircraft.
“Strengthening this flying and maintenance team is extremely important,” said Capt. James Gregory, F-16 instructor pilot. “It builds trust and trust is what allows us to concentrate on the tactics of combat aviation. We’re thankful we don’t have to worry about major aircraft malfunctions when the dedicated crew chiefs and entire AMU on their game.”
Those recognized as DCCs will have their names written on the aircraft they work on, just as the DCCs before them. This is a tradition which has taken place throughout the lifespans of the aircraft.
“Dedicated crew chiefs are greatly underappreciated and don’t always get recognized for all the hard work they put in on a day-to-day basis,” said Staff Sgt. Armando Sutton, 36th AMU F-16 Fighting Falcon dedicated crew chief. “The DCC Ceremony is really important to me because it’s a way for my people to get that recognition they deserve and also get familiar with their pilot.”
A DCC focuses his or her attention on one jet, allowing them to see trends and tendencies which makes troubleshooting and maintenance more effective, according to Gregory.
“These Airmen are being recognized for their utmost effort and consistent dedication to the safety and quality of our aircraft,” said Staff Sgt. Tyler Bunn, 36th Aircraft Maintenance Unit F-16 Fighting Falcon dedicated crew chief. “We’ve sacrificed our time, busted our knuckles and worked hard to earn this title. We wear it like a badge on our sleeve and show it off proudly. It feels good to be recognized for it.”
Congratulations to the following newly-recognized dedicated crew chiefs:
SSgt Armando Sutton
SSgt Tyler Bunn
SSgt Michael Honse
SSgt Jacob Jenson
SrA Stacy Spears
SSgt Brandon Conley
SSgt Adam Lambert
SrA Daniel Bermudez
SSgt Jayquan Williams
SSgt Jason Jurado
SrA Samuel Son
SSgt William Sikorski
SSgt John Workman
SrA Dakota Davis
SSgt Nicklas Bruscup
SrA Raphael Trammel
SrA Terry King
SSgt Jesus Chavez
SSgt Barrett Clark
SSgt Caleb Pettit
SSgt Jonathan Mucker
SrA Dacious Hunter
SrA Sean McQuillan
SrA Skyler Jayroe
SrA Lauren Kogelschatz
SSgt Brian Raatz
SSgt Christian Gico