BARNES AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Massachusetts -- Master Sgt. Seth Maheux, 104th Armament Flight non-commissioned officer in charge, was recently told he would receive the 2022 Air National Guard Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Award for maintenance excellence, as a result of being one of the best in his career field.
The Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Award is an Air Force-level award presented to maintainers who have demonstrated superior service, performance, job knowledge, and results in the categories of aircraft, munitions, missile, and communications-electronics maintenance. Known as the “Godfather” of the Air Force’s aircraft and munitions maintenance communities, Marquez revolutionized aircraft maintenance and created the Air Force Combat Ammunition Center’s Combat Ammunition Planning and Production course.
Achieving the Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez award is a major accomplishment as it is one of the most prestigious awards in all of the Air Force.
“I’m truly honored, but honestly I have never thought of myself in that manner so it’s also a bit of a surprise to receive an award of this magnitude,” said Maheux. “I would like to thank my family, past and present mentors, co-workers, supervisors, and subordinates. Without the help and support from all these people over the years, I would not be where I am in my career right now.”
Tech. Sgt. Dan Bowles, 104th Armament Flight aircraft armament systems technician, works alongside Maheux and spoke highly of his humble demeanor, approachability, and attention to detail.
“Maheux has been at Barnes since the A-10 days, and I have known him for three years,” said Bowles. “With decades of technical knowledge, Maheux is always ready to teach or mentor, and is an example for us all to emulate. He's like a tree whose roots go deep, but whose branches and leaves support and shade those around him.”
Maheux’s advice to other Airmen is to not always ask someone else right away when they have a question.
"Take some time, research, and come up with the best possible answer," said Maheux. "You are almost guaranteed to learn something else useful along the way."