Higgins takes over Maintenance Group

Col. Jack H. Pittman Jr., left, 302nd Airlift Wing commander, passes the 302nd Maintenance Group guideon to Col. Jeffrey Higgins during an assumption of command ceremony Dec. 5, 2015 here. Before assuming command of the Peterson-based Reserve wing’s maintenance group, Higgins was an Individual Mobilization Augmentee, assigned to Headquarters Air Force, directorate of logistics, nuclear weapons missiles and munitions division at the Pentagon, Washington, D. C. Higgins is taking over the 302nd MXG just after the 302nd AW was recognized by the Airlift Tanker Association by being named the Lt. Gen. James E. Sherrard III award winner. Among many of the Reserve wing’s notable achievements, the award commends the efforts of the 302nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron for producing four out of the five top performing C-130s in the Air Force Reserve Command. Higgins served as the deputy commander of the 302nd MXG from October 2007 to September 2009. He is familiar with the wing and has a goal for the group. During the ceremony Higgins characterized perseverance and passion for long-term goals as “grit.” He stated, “We already have a lot of grit in the 302nd maintenance group, it’s what allows us to turn an airplane to make another line, it drives us to return an aircraft to mission capable status and not cut corners. It pushes us to take care of our people while taking care of our mission. My goal is for us to be the grittiest maintenance group in this [Air Force Reserve] command.” (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Amber Sorsek)