The 437th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (AMXS) is a dedicated team of nearly 700 Total Force Integrated maintainers consisting of Active Duty, Civilian, and Air reserve Technicians working side by side, leveraging their diverse skills and expertise to maintain 40 C–17A aircraft. The squadron is crucial in upholding Joint Base Charleston’s mission by providing safe and reliable aircraft maintenance and mission generation for aircraft worldwide. The 437 AMXS has a track record of excellence, contributing to numerous successful missions around the world by delivering essential cargo, personnel, and aid where it’s needed most, showcasing the squadron’s commitment to serving our nation and its allies.
The 437th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron is responsible for the maintenance of 40 assigned C-17A aircraft worth more than $9 billion dollars. The 437 AMXS primarily performs flight line tasks to include daily mission launch and recovery, pre- and post-flight inspections, maintenance troubleshooting, aircraft systems repair, and minor modifications. The squadron is organized into two aircraft maintenance units (Gryphons and Blue Knights), a Viper Support Flight, and the one-of-a-kind Maintenance Special Operations Flight (MASOP), which is charged with the DoD's only 24/7 JCS-directed Strategic Alert Response commitment.
Originally activated on 27 Dec 1965, the 437th Organizational Maintenance Squadron directly supported airlift missions for the former 437th Military Airlift Wing by maintaining the various squadrons of C-124, C-130, and new C-141A Starlifter aircraft. With the onset of the Vietnam War, Charleston Air Force Base maintainers continued to deliver mission capable C-141A aircraft to meet the ongoing mobility requirements in southeast Asia. Re-designated the 437th Aircraft Generation Squadron on 1 Aug 1990, maintainers assisted in the preparation and launch of over 800 aircraft departures supporting Operation DESERT SHIELD and Operation DESERT STORM. In Jun 1993, maintenance personnel prepared as the first C-17A Globemaster III arrived at Joint Base Charleston. 1 Oct 2002, the 437th Aircraft Generation Squadron became the 437th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, and now prides itself as the single largest squadron in Air Mobility Command. The 437 AMXS continues to play an instrumental role supporting current DoD initiatives aimed at ensuring success in the Global War on Terrorism, and all other national military interests including humanitarian efforts worldwide.
Lineage
Constituted 437th Organizational Maintenance Squadron and activated on 27 December 1965.
Re-designated 437th Aircraft Generation Squadron on 1 August 1990.
Re-designated 437th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron on 1 October 2002.
Assignments
Military Air Transport Service: 27 December 1965 - 8 January 1966;
437th Military Airlift Wing: 8 January 1966 - 1 October 1991;
437th Logistics Group: 1 October 1991 - 1 February 1993;
437th Operations Group: 1 February 1993 - 1 April 1995;
437th Logistics (later, 437th Maintenance) Group: 1 April 1995 - present.
Stations
Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina: 8 January 1966 - present.
Honors
Service Streamers. None
Campaign Streamers.
Southwest Asia:
Defense of Saudi Arabia 1990-1991
Liberation and Defense of Kuwait 1991
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None
Decorations.
Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards:
11 July 1966 - 10 July 1967
11 July 1967 - 10 June 1968
11 July 1968 - 12 June 1969
13 June 1969 - 12 June 1970
1 July 1972 - 30 June 1973
1 July 1982 - 30 June 1984
1 June 1984 - 30 June 1986
1 July 1988 - 30 June 1989
1 July 1989 - 30 June 1990
21 September - 31 October 1989
1 July 1993 - 30 June 1995
1 July 1995 - 30 June 1997
1 July 1997 - 30 June 1998
1 July 1998 - 30 June 2000
With Valor 11 September 2001 - 30 June 2003
Emblem (Approved on 3 July 1967)
The emblem is symbolic of the squadron. The gold and blue background signifies the excellence required of assigned personnel and denotes the sky, the primary theater of Air Force operations. The four basic divisions of the emblem surmounted by the globe are indicative of the "Four Corners of the Globe" and refer to the widespread operations of the squadron and its organization under the Military Airlift Command. The dovetailed partition lines symbolize the effective precision of the squadron's support maintenance functions. The stars allude to the high quality and advanced modern concepts used in performance of the unit's mission, and the maintenance tools represent the required skill and knowledge of assigned personnel. The emblem bears the Air Force colors of golden yellow and ultramarine blue.