Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas –
A master sergeant assigned to Air Education and Training Command whose 16-year career has been primarily devoted to materiel management has been honored for his efforts.
Master Sgt. Ryan Love, AETC equipment manager, is the command’s Outstanding Air Force Logistics Readiness Enlisted Staff of the Year.
“Any recognition is humbling,” said Love, who came to AETC headquarters last May. “You feel that your team deserves it.”
Love was recognized in January along with three other JBSA team members: Tech. Sgt. Kevin Hong, 502nd Logistics Readiness Squadron NCO in charge of cargo movement, Outstanding Air Force Logistics Readiness NCO of the Year; Pierre Anderson, 502nd LRS compliance and operations manager, Outstanding Logistics Readiness Civilian of the Year Category II; and James Williams, 502nd LRS director, Outstanding Logistics Readiness Civilian of the Year Category III.
Michael Young, AETC vehicles and equipment branch chief, said Love brings high energy to his job, with a focus on supporting the training mission or any task presented to him.
“Here is a well-rounded senior NCO who just graduated from the enlisted career-broadening materiel management program at Hill Air Force Base, Utah,” he said. “He has relevant base-level and centralized materiel management experience to support global operations.
“Master Sgt. Love has the ability to apply his skills acquired in the career-broadening program to maximize supply support to our AETC wings and training detachments across the globe,” Young continued. “He puts himself in our customer’s position to chase the parts and equipment as if he needed them himself. That is an internal drive we like to see.”
Love said the greatest challenge of his job is “the sheer magnitude and volume that we deal with.”
He and other AETC equipment managers are tasked with the management of thousands of pieces of equipment throughout the command. Weapons, support materiel for aircraft, breathing apparatus for firefighters, explosive ordnance disposal robots, Giant Voice public address systems, generators used on the flightlines and light carts are just a sampling of the equipment necessary to keep the Air Force running.
“Equipment management covers every career field,” Love said. “We not only manage the support equipment, we make sure it’s procured.”
Recent projects Love discussed included the movement of 2,300 pieces of F-16 aircraft equipment from Hill AFB to Holloman AFB, N.M., and providing support equipment to a Waco, Texas, contractor for the repair of T-1A aircraft damaged by hail at Laughlin AFB, Texas, last year.
Another challenge facing equipment managers is the lengthy procurement time on new pieces of support equipment, Love said.
“It’s something the customer needs right away, so we typically go to other commands for an equipment loan,” he said.
Command equipment managers work with base-level custodians, Love said.
“We give them the tools to do their jobs,” he said.
Love said he finds his job “very fulfilling.”
“I enjoy supporting the everyday Airman as well as warfighters, GS (general schedule) employees and contractors,” he said. “They can’t do their mission without us.”