Hurlburt squadron wins award

The 801st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (801 SOAMXS) of Hurlburt Field, Fla., is this year’s winner of the Phoenix Award for Maintenance Excellence. It was announced at the secretary of defense awards ceremony Dec. 8. The Phoenix Award is presented to the single best maintenance unit out of that year's six field-level maintenance award winners. In FY 2014, the 801 SOAMXS’s maintenance actions produced over 1,200 sorties and 3,500 flying hours, more than 28 percent of the 1st Special Operations Wing's mission. Heavily engaged in Overseas Contingency Operations, the unit facilitated safe transportation and recovery of three battle damaged CV-22 aircraft valued at $267 million dollars for subsequent depot repair. In addition, the unit achieved a deployed mission capable rate that exceeded the command standard by 24 percent. Vigilant in innovation, the 801 SOAXMS authored 328 engineer requests resulting in modifications that saved over $8 million dollars and 2,000 man-hours. (Source: DoD, 12/10/15)