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Instructor of the Week: SSgt. Maas

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  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs

Staff Sgt. Joseph Maas, 373rd Training Squadron Detachment 20 aerospace ground equipment instructor and native of Grand Haven, Michigan, has been in the Air Force for 10 years and is the Instructor of the Week at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, for the week of July 5-11, 2016.

 

Most significant accomplishments:

 

“While working closely with the local AGE shop, I’ve saved more than $15,000 by obtaining what would otherwise be scrap or junk and turned it into functioning support equipment trainers,” Maas said. “Utilization of actual components allows for a more detailed explanation. While the students have the physical part in their hand they can actually see components moving, what part does what and when it does it. This has been invaluable to the different courses as we can’t just disassemble operational units for the sake of training.”

 

“Another example is a $10,000 triple drive assembly that I procured at no cost and will be used here at 373rd Training Squadron Detachment 20, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, as a trainer,” he said. “The triple drive will allow me to go one step beyond the plan of instruction and show just how the power from the engine gets distributed to the generator, compressor and blower on the particular unit it came from.”

 

“I’ve also been fortunate to obtain a small diesel engine valued at $4,000 which is used in new generation heaters,” Maas continued. “I plan to use the engine in two other courses, showing typical diesel engines operation.”

 

Airman’s story:

 

“My story starts back on my 18th birthday,” Maas said. “My father gave me an ultimatum of moving out of the house or showing him papers for joining the military. So I moved out that day. After a year of mindless factory work, I decided to give the military a shot. Joining back in 2006, my goal was to at least make it over to Germany on the Air Forces dime while trying leave whatever I was in charge of at least a little bit better than when I got it. Now at Detachment 20, I’ve replaced an exceptional instructor and my aim is to once again take what was started and continue building onto it. I enjoy teaching my students all that I can so if they can take away even the smallest bit of information they didn’t know, I feel that I’ve succeeded.”

 

Supervisor comments:

 

“Since arriving at Detachment 20, Staff Sergeant Maas has hit the ground running,” said Tech. Sgt. Ryan Nehmer, 373rd TRS instructor supervisor. “Wasting no time he quickly completed the basic instructor course and became fully qualified in just four short months. Staff Sergeant Maas eagerly stepped up and answered my call to lead our self-inspection.”

 

“Additionally, he has recently enrolled and completed his Course 15, six months early and is actively pursuing his bachelor’s degree,” Nehmer continued. “He continually goes above and beyond to make the training environment better. As mentioned before he is always looking for affordable ways to make the students fully understand the training received. He routinely receives EOC (end of course) survey comments such as ‘outstanding instructor’ or ‘best field training detachment course.’ He not only affects his students positively but he has set the bar high for his peers. Staff Sergeant Maas is certainly a great asset to Detachment 20 and we only expect more great things from him, in the future.”