Fourth Air Force awards 349th Maintenance Group Chief Master Sgt. James K. Clouse Maintenance Excellence Trophy Published Nov. 15, 2018 By Ellen Hatfield, 349th Air Mobility Wing 349 AMW TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Fourth Air Force, headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, Calif., hosted their wing commanders for a conference Nov. 13-16. The conference culminated with a formal banquet where the “best of the best” were recognized for fiscal year 2018. Capturing the Chief Master Sgt. James K. Clouse Maintenance Excellence Trophy was the 349th Maintenance Group, Travis AFB. This award honors the 4th AF maintenance organization achieving the highest standards in “safety, mission support, demonstrated ingenuity, mission accomplishments and maintenance excellence.” Clouse was an aircraft maintenance equipment specialist on the 4th AF Logistics Maintenance staff, who succumbed to cancer in 1984. He has been described as a person who exemplifies what the award stands for. What makes the award so meaningful is that the logistics directorate at 4th convenes a board of senior maintenance noncommissioned officers to select the unit that best epitomizes the concepts the award recognizes. “I’m proud of our maintenance group. The award reflects their tremendous experience and hard work,’ said Col. Raymond Kozak, 349th AMW wing commander. Col. Jeff Pickard, 349th Maintenance Group commander echoed his sentiment: ““This recognition is a testament to all the hard work by the men and women of the 349th Maintenance Group, along with all the teamwork from our valued partners in the 60th MXG. I’m extremely proud, and honored to serve with them.”The 349th AMW is the largest associate wing in the Air Force, made up of about 2,300 members, supporting three major weapons systems and the missions of Travis, that deliver hope and might around the world.