Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Award

Capt. Lisa Gaines, 442nd Maintenance Group munitions flight commander, received the award as the Outstanding Company Grade Manager of 2009. During this period, Captain Gaines simultaneously recovered personnel, aircraft and equipment from the unit?s air expeditionary force deployment, hosted an international A-10 gunnery competition, directed munitions maintenance activities and prepared for an Air Combat Command-directed operational readiness inspection. Her leadership was a key factor in the buildup and successful delivery of more than 206,000 munitions. While preparing for the unit?s upcoming operational readiness inspection, Captain Gaines quickly identified deficiencies in the unit?s highly visible nuclear mishap reporting procedures and immediately resolved them by developing a quick-response ?dull sword? checklist. The 442nd Maintenance Group is part of the 442nd Fighter Wing, an A-10 Thunderbolt II reserve unit at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. The award recognizes base-level military and civil-service aircraft, munitions and missile maintenance personnel who perform hands-on maintenance or manage a maintenance function. (Courtesy photo)