56th Maintenance Group staff

Mission: Plan, monitor, train, manage, and adapt through precise scheduling, and efficient execution to produce the world’s finest maintainers, and fighter pilots.

Demographics: There are 167 active-duty and 14 civilian members.

Leadership

Section commander: Maj. James Hodges

Maintenance operations superintendent: Senior Master Sgt. Heather Tufty

Weapons standardization superintendent: Chief Master Sgt. Richard Pelletier

Quality assurance: Senior Master Sgt. Michael Bannon

Training: Master Sgt. Christopher Draper

Responsibilities: Oversees smooth maintenance operations on more than 79 F-16s, 42 F-35s. Builds, executes and analyzes the maintenance and flying schedule. Manages and provides training for 1,852 active-duty members, 210 civilians, and 101 Air Reserve technicians. Manages key group programs and enforces standards. Serves as liaison to Detachment 12, 372nd Training Squadron.

56th Equipment Maintenance Squadron

Mission:  We provide safe and reliable maintenance and munitions support to build the future of airpower.

Vision:  We will provide sustained flexibility through a disciplined and innovative approach while developing Airmen and supporting our families.

Demographics: There are 545 military and civilians assigned.

Leadership

Commander:  Lt. Col. Jeffrey Kaepp

Superintendent:  Chief Master Sgt. James Royston Jr.

First sergeant:  Senior Master Sgt. Phillip Nissen

Responsibilities:  Maintains 703 pieces of aerospace ground equipment, 1,200 pieces of alternate mission equipment and a munitions stockpile all valued at more than $208 million. Perform aircraft inspection and repair of 78 F-16 and 53 F-35 aircraft.

Fun facts:  The squadron was redesignated the 56th Equipment Maintenance Squadron June 15,1977, at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, the first equipment maintenance squadron in the Air Force. The squadron was reassigned to Luke AFB April 1, 1994.

56th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron

Mission: Provide safe, reliable aircraft, equipment and munitions to train the world’s finest F-35 and F-16 pilots and crew chiefs.

Demographics: There are more than 1,184 military, civilian and contractor members, including 100 Singapore maintainers.

Leadership

Commander: Lt. Col. Charles Ploetz

Maintenance operations officer: Maj. Lexie Greene

Assistant maintenance operations officer: Capt. Jessica Salgado

Superintendent: Chief Master Sgt. James Cash

Assistant superintendents: Senior Master Sgts. David Bruce and Jonathan Brannon

First sergeants: Master Sgts. Marco Escandon, Gregory Spiczka, Jennifer Pelletier and David Moats

Responsibilities: Provides organizational level maintenance for 52 Block 25 and 42 F-16A/B/C/D aircraft and 55 F-35A aircraft valued at more than $5 billion. Also has a $700,000 annual budget to ensure mission-ready aircraft to directly support

U.S. Air Force active-duty and Reserve components, and Singapore air forces pilot training.

56th Component Maintenance Squadron

Mission: We build the future of airpower by providing safe and reliable component repair of propulsion, avionics, accessories, and test, measurement, and diagnostics equipment systems.

Demographics: There are 284 military and 50 civilian personnel across seven Air Force specialties.

Leadership

Commander: Maj. Edward Romero

Superintendent: Chief Master Sgt. Brian Bowers

First Sergeant: Master Sgt. Brian Shaw

Responsibilities: Deliver maintenance solutions for the Air Force’s largest combat-pilot training program.  We are divided into four flights — propulsion, avionics, accessories, and test, measurement and diagnostic equipment, and one supporting section — command support staff.

The propulsion flight conducts intermediate maintenance for 140 Pratt & Whitney F-100 engines valued at $450 million in support of 128 F-16s. The flight is comprised of four sections — jet engine intermediate maintenance, modular repair, test cell, and support section, totaling 58 enlisted and 26 civilian personnel.

The avionics flight provides safety, quality and flightline support to F-16 avionics systems through component repair of more than 56 navigation, radar, and communications systems.  Over the last two years, avionics flight hosted engineers and depot teams to test upgraded avionics software and components to increase fleet-wide F-16 flight capabilities.

The accessories flight consists of 150 technicians across four diverse sections — egress, fuels, electro environmental and hydraulics.  These sections provide on and off equipment repairs on both F-16 and F-35 platforms.  The flight provides emergency ejection capability, aircraft fuel system distribution, as well as electrical and hydraulic component repair. In addition the Hydraulic Section, operates the Air Force’s sole West Coast Centralized Repair Facility, supporting 313 F-16s, F-15s, & A-10s across Air Education and Training Command, Air Combat Command, and Air Force Reserve Command.

The test, measurement and diagnostic equipment flight, verifies the proper operation of test, measurement, and diagnostic equipment through the subtle art and science of calibration.  TMDE supplies calibration and repair support to more than 6,000 items owned by 107 work sections.

Fun fact: We are the Scorpions!  We put the sting in the wing! The propulsion flight’s extraordinary production of 60 engines per year has been recognized by Pratt and Whitney as the top performer for 12 consecutive years!

56th Aerospace Medicine Squadron

Mission: Supports 56th Fighter Wing flying, training and deployment mission through superior aeromedical, optometric, occupational, environmental and preventive medicine programs.

Demographics: There are 51 military active-duty personnel, eight civilians and six contractors.

Leadership

Commander: Lt. Col. Michael Bogaard

Squadron superintendent: Master Sgt. Nerissa Campbell

Responsibilities: The AMDS mission is to support the flying, training and deployment mission of the 56th FW. Our primary mission is to provide routine medical care to the base flying population, their dependents and other special-duty personnel. Personnel eligible for medical care includes pilots, navigators, air traffic controllers, flight engineers, and their dependents along with others who hold a 2992 clearance to fly/control/jump and are assigned to special operational duties. We have six flight surgeons, one aerospace physiologist, and 58-plus specialized support staff. This also includes public health, bioenvironmental engineering, optometry, and health promotions support for Luke aeromedical, occupational, environmental, and preventive medicine programs.

Fun facts: The 56th AMDS has two consecutive AETC Team Aerospace of the Year awards.

56th Medical Operations Squadron

Mission: Ensures medical readiness of the human weapon system for the Air Force’s largest fighter wing while seamlessly providing patient-centered trusted care with Airmen and families to keep them healthy for life and ready to support the mission.

Demographics: There are 122 active-duty and civilian members.

Leadership:

Commander: Lt. Col. Joseph Beard IV

Superintendent: Chief Master Sgt. Rochelle Hemingway

Responsibilities: MDOS provides comprehensive medical care to 5,500 uniformed personnel and 88,000 eligible beneficiaries by promoting health, maintaining wellness, and minimizing the impact of illness. The family health, medical services, surgical services, and mental health flights support more than 140,000 ambulatory visits and 500 patient surgeries annually.

Fun facts: MDOS is home to the Air Force Association 2016 Paul Meyer Outstanding Physician Award winner.

56th Medical Support Squadron

Mission: We exist to provide seamlessly integrated support through excellent patient care.

Demographics: There are 180 active-duty, civilian and contract members.

Leadership

Commander: Lt. Col. Virgil Scott

Superintendent: Senior Master Sgt. Kristie Gonyea

Responsibilities: Ensures ready fighting forces by providing administrative, financial, data analysis, management, and therapeutic services essential to health promotion and healthcare for 5,500 military personnel and 85,000 eligible beneficiaries. Prepares wing personnel for expeditionary operations to support global missions. Supports 194,000 annual patient visits in an integrated $100 million managed care environment.

Fun facts: MDSS is a multidisciplinary team of specialty codes making it the most diverse squadron in the wing.

56th Dental Squadron

Mission: Safely provide trusted dental care to air power warriors.

Demographics: There are 41 active-duty and civilian members.

Leadership

Commander: Lt. Col. Marie-Antonette Brancato

Superintendent: Senior Master Sgt. Kari Boyles

Responsibilities: The dental squadron provides annual examinations, prophylaxis, routine and specialty care to our tri-service active-duty population. We strive to ensure all active-duty members are dental deployment ready.

Fun facts: In early America, blacksmiths often served as dentists. How about a tooth filling to go with your new horseshoes?