The Department of Defense (DoD) announced the 2021 winners of the Secretary of Defense Maintenance Awards. These awards are presented annually to recognize outstanding achievements in weapon systems and military equipment maintenance.
A total of six field-level awards are presented in three categories – large, medium, and small. The recipients of this year’s Secretary of Defense Field-level Maintenance Awards in the large category are the 3D Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3RD Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1ST Cavalry Division, and USS AMERICA. Winners in the medium category are Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, and Assault Craft Unit Five. The small category winners are Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron SEVEN SEVEN and 801st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 1st Special Operations Wing, Air Force Special Operations Command.
The Secretary of Defense Field-level Maintenance Awards is symbolized by the legendary phoenix, a mythological bird which lived for some five centuries, died, was consumed by flames, and then reborn from its own ashes. Periodically, so states the myth, the phoenix would again and again be reborn. This unique ability of the legendary phoenix to rejuvenate and renew itself characterizes the role maintenance plays in sustaining DoD weapon systems and equipment. Recognized as the best of the best, the winner of the Phoenix Award is selected from the six field-level award winners. The 2021 Phoenix Award winner is Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron SEVEN SEVEN.
The depot-level award is named in recognition of Robert T. Mason, a former assistant deputy undersecretary of defense for maintenance policy, programs, and resources. Mr. Mason served as the champion of organic depot maintenance for three decades and was instrumental in transforming DoD organic depot-level operations. The recipient of the 2021 Robert T. Mason Depot Maintenance Excellence Award is Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility Submarine Maintenance and Overhaul Program, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility.
The department also recognized the sustainment training, advice, and assistance of foreign military forces awards. This year’s ministerial category winner is the Colombia Country Project Team, Institute for Security Governance, Defense Security Cooperation Agency, and the operational category winner is Charlie Troop, Regimental Support Squadron, 2nd Calvary Regiment, 7th Army Training Center, United States European Command
Extreme Digital Development Group – Enterprise, 76th Software Engineering Group, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex was selected as the 2021 Rear Admiral Grace M. Hopper Award for Software Maintenance Excellence.
This press release was prepared and distributed by the United States Department of Defense.
