In the next few weeks, the organization that is the 309th Maintenance Wing will ceremonially inactivate and furl its guidons, then pick up and continue working as part of the new Ogden Air Logistics Complex.

Our wing began as the Maintenance Directorate, led by Gene Hathenbruck, followed by the 309th MXW, led by Brig. Gen. Robert McMahon, Brig. Gen. Art Cameron, Brig. Gen. John Cooper and Sue Dryden. I am proud to have served in this honorable lineage.

The seven units that make up the wing -- the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, the 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group, the 309th Commodities Maintenance Group, the 309th Electronics Maintenance Group, the 309th Maintenance Support Group, the 309th Missile Maintenance Group and the 309th Software Maintenance Group -- will function as they do now, just under a different organization.

The 309th Maintenance Wing and three other wings were initially stood up at Hill AFB on Feb. 24, 2005. Our 2005 mission statement highlighted our depot maintenance on the F-16, A-10, C-130 aircraft, and the ICBM Peacekeeper and Minuteman missiles; our overhaul work on landing gear, rocket motors, guided bombs and other aerospace related components; our team that performed crash damage repair; and new manufacturing work for the B-2 and F/A 22.

In the seven years since, the Peacekeeper missile was deactivated, the F-22 now receives depot maintenance in its newly dedicated heavy maintenance facility and we're gearing up to work on the F-35. In 2007, we added another group -- the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group located at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., and now have additional units in California, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Texas, Wyoming and Japan. And we adopted the slogan, "Built Right, Ready to Fight."

The 2005 mission statement, as well as the one we have today, generically describes only part of what we have accomplished. In the last seven years the 309th Maintenance Wing:

• Was again certified as an AS9100 organization following an intense evaluation where the inspectors had no findings in several areas and only minor ones in others.
• Worked with local applied technology colleges to train students through the Student Career Experience Program for employment in composites, electronics and other wing areas.
• Sent depot field teams around the world to perform routine maintenance or repair damaged aircraft on site, reducing down-time and saving costs.
• Celebrated the on-time completion of depot maintenance on 100 T-38 Talon aircraft in 18 months.
• Expanded the wing's capability to perform depot maintenance on the F-22 by opening the final phase of the 96,000-square-foot F-22 heavy maintenance facility.
• Saved the Air Force millions, and likely billions of dollars by finding a better, more efficient and cost-effective way to do our jobs and submitting them for Air Force-wide use through the Idea Program.
• Started work on the structurally improved A-10 wing designed to keep the vintage, dependable Thunderbolt flying until 2040.
• Modified 11 Block 52 combat-capable F-16s for the Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron Thunderbirds, an improvement that one pilot says takes them "from a Corvette to a Ferrari."
• Staffed the Wing Operations Center daily, around the clock, to respond to emergencies, ensure security and direct customer calls.
• Successfully applied Lean, cell concepts, the Common Configuration Improvement Program, Falcon STAR, Precision Engagement, Propulsion System Rocket Engine program, Aerospace Maintenance Quality Standards, Service Life Extension Program and Process Improvement to speed up delivery of aircraft, missiles and related components, and maintain quality standards.
• Sponsored car shows, golf tournaments, bowling tournaments and other morale-boosting employee activities.
• And yes, made some mistakes, then worked hard to fix them and ensure they won't be repeated!

I could echo the noisy television commercials that boldly proclaim "BUT WAIT -- THERE'S MORE" because there is indeed more to the wing and its excellent production record, but I think you get the idea.

What makes the 309th Maintenance Wing so successful? People.

As a commander, I know that if I take care of the people who work for me and give them the resources, training and the room they need to be successful, then the mission will be assured. We may have airplanes that fly semi-autonomously, but it still takes people -- people to expertly maintain them, people to check and re-check them and people to test them before returning them to the war-fighter.

Our mission is 100 percent dependent on people, and I can confidently and proudly say we have the best workforce in the Air Force and the Department of Defense.

We have a very broad mission, but when you boil it down, we are war-fighter enablers. Our wing slogan says it all -- it tells the war-fighter that we're going to provide parts and aircraft that they can trust will work the first time they turn the switch. When they get in that A-10 cockpit after it's come through the depot, they can take it straight to the war zone and it'll execute the mission perfectly and safely.

The 309th Maintenance Wing has kept aircraft flying, missiles ready, software upgraded, landing gear functioning and the war-fighter prepared. Even though the name and structure will change, the hard-working, dedicated men and women in these groups and squadrons will continue to provide quality products on-time and below-cost for years to come. That's our commitment, now and in the future.

"Built Right, Ready to Fight!"