The US Department of Defense announced the winners of its top maintenance awards for depot and field-level units on 6 September 2012. The awards recognize outstanding achievement in weapon system and military equipment maintenance. Among the winners were the C-130 Programmed Depot Maintenance team at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center at Robins AFB, Georgia; the 3rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, the F-22 maintainers at JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, in the medium-sized unit category; and the 353rd Special Operations Maintenance Squadron, the MC-130 maintainers at Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan, a co-winner in the small unit category. The awards are named in honor of Robert T. Mason, a former assistant deputy undersecretary of defense for maintenance policy, programs, and resources.
