HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah – A reservist in the 419th Operations Support Flight was named 2019’s Outstanding Aircrew Flight Equipment NCO for the entire Reserve Component, besting competition from both the Air Force Reserve and National Guard.
Tech. Sgt. Dakota Lujan led a Total Force AFE shop here that is home to 45 active duty and Reserve Airmen and nearly $160 million worth of F-35 equipment for 105 pilots. AFE is charged with maintaining all pilot flight suits, navigation equipment, aircraft ejection seats, and parachutes.
“One of my biggest roles is to ensure the pilots have everything they need,” Lujan said. “I also work closely with Lockheed Martin and the Joint Program Office to resolve any issues we might have with getting supplies.”
Lujan advanced a program-wide change for the F-35, increasing a flight clothing options contract with Lockheed Martin. He also collaborated with Air Combat Command to distribute more than 30 equipment items that saved the Air Force more than $200,000. Lujan worked with the Air Force’s F-35 program development team to help draft requirements for a new “GEN 4” helmet, which was later published in technical data across the F-35 program.
The reservist helped foster cohesion in the Total Force shop, performing fundamental training for 13 Reserve and active duty Airmen while maximizing overall training output by 45 percent.
His efforts were praised by Lt. Gen. Richard Scobee, Air Force Reserve Command commander and chief of the Air Force Reserve, during a visit here last week. Scobee presented an AFRC coin to Lujan during a luncheon where he met with some of the 419th Fighter Wing’s top-performing Airmen.