JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
A member of the 437th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., was recently awarded Air Mobility Command's General Lew Allen Jr., Trophy.
Captain Robert Cross, 437 AMXS Gold AMU officer in charge received the trophy that recognizes the most outstanding base-level officer directly involved in aircraft sortie generation. The award criteria is based on sustained job performance, job knowledge, job efficiency and results.
Cross managed more than 700 Airmen and civilians across seven different Air Force Specialty Codes and drove maintenance support for 1,600 C-17 Globemaster III launches from JB Charleston. He was key to the wing's 94 percent Logistics Departure Reliability Rate and integral to the Wing earning the 2013 Meritorious Unit Award.
Cross was also the maintenance group's point-man for the 2014 Large Formation Exercise. He led the generation of 18 C-17s and executed a flawless launch of a C-17 nine-ship that facilitated 652 wing training events.
In an effort to enhance the total force integration mobility network, Cross led the transfer of two C-17s from JB Charleston to the Memphis Air National Guard in Memphis, Tenn., and oversaw the aircraft preparation and repair actions.
While deployed to Al Udeid Air Base, he managed 4,000 maintenance actions on more than 50 deployed C-17s. This led to AUAB having a 91.1 percent Mission Capable Rate, which was more than 3.1 percent higher than the AMC standard.
Cross also led 23 Maintenance Recovery Team efforts. He forward deployed 25 technicians and 125 equipment items to six forward operating locations; ensuring that 10 key C-17's were returned to the fleet in a timely manner.
During another deployment he volunteered at the NATO Role-3 Hospital located at Khandahar Air Field. While there, he provided care and comfort to injured warfighters; the hospital has a 98 percent wounded warrior survival rate.
Lastly, Cross is active within the local community where he volunteers as a chaplain assistant, as a firefighter and first responder.
"Winning this award is a reflection of his outstanding maintenance leadership accomplishments while deployed and here at home station," said Lt. Col. Adam DiGerolamo, 437th AMXS commander. "Given the number of talented maintenance officers throughout AMC, for Capt. Cross to have been recognized at that level is truly an honor for him and validation of how well the squadron maintenance effort runs day-to-day under his leadership. We are very proud to have Capt. Cross as part of the squadron's leadership team and are confident that he will continue to perform at high levels for years to come."