EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Two Airmen from the 33rd Fighter Wing have been awarded Air Education and Training Command’s Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Award for their work in aircraft maintenance.
U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Sean Duval, 58th Aircraft Maintenance Unit officer in charge, won the company grade officer category and Master Sgt. Shawn Anderson, 33rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron lead production superintendent, won the senior noncommissioned officer category. Anderson has since been stationed at the 90th AMU at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.
The Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Award honors Air Force members, both military and civilian, who excel in technological maintenance. The individual's job performance, application of knowledge on the job site, and workplace efficiency are all considered.
Duval is responsible for scheduled and unscheduled maintenance for 25 F-35A Lightning II jets and leadership of 320 personnel assigned to the squadron. He was the lead maintenance officer for AETC’s first F-35 deployment to Red Flag, which provides pilot training that is as close to real-world operations as possible. He was vital to the execution of more than 300 sorties per month for three consecutive months, a first for the wing.
Anderson led maintenance operations for multiple exercises and airshows including an air power demonstration for the President of the United States. He helped stand up the Israeli Task Force’s F-35 maintenance operations and prepared them to launch their first aircraft. The maintenance he and his team provided was crucial to the 2,300 sorties launched, enabling 33 F-35 pilots to complete their training courses.
Both Airmen acknowledged that while their names are on the awards, the accomplishment is shared with their peers and subordinates alike.
“These awards are a testament to what kind of leaders these two Airmen are,” said Col. Henry Myers Jr., 33rd Maintenance Group commander. “Furthermore, this shows that both of these gentlemen lead a top notch group of maintainers. Every day, regardless of the circumstances, they are out there working to ensure our mission is accomplished.”