The 437th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at JB Charleston, S.C., is emphasizing the importance of dedicated crew chiefs for each of the C-17 transports that it maintains, according to a base release. “A dedicated crew chief is expected to know our particular aircraft inside and out,” said TSgt. Joshua Drakos, a 437th AMXS crew chief, in Charleston’s Dec. 5 release. He added, “We know the history of the aircraft and recognize patterns or nuances that are much more in depth than someone not assigned to the aircraft.” Drakos, who has been a C-17 aircraft maintainer for 15 years, became a DCC during a ceremony in June, according to the release. He received a gray flight suit and a specially designed patch, identifiers for a DCC in the squadron. “We wanted the ceremony and uniforms to revitalize the DCC program,” said MSgt. William Henke, a 437th AMXS section chief. The DCCs play a big role in mentoring other crew chiefs on the flight line and in helping to mold future dedicated crew chiefs, states the release. “We want to use the old blood to build and train the new blood,” said Henke. (Charleston report by TSgt. Vernon Cunningham)
Pentagon Releases Cost of Living, BAH Rates for 2026
Dec. 30, 2025
The Pentagon will pay cost of living allowances to 127,000 service members in the continental U.S. in 2026, an increase of 66,000 members in 2025. Airmen and Guardians across the U.S. will also receive an average increase of 4.2 percent for their Basic Housing Allowance, compared to the 5.4 percent…
