LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. –
Defense Contract Management Agency Boeing Mesa provided support for a static display during President Donald Trump‘s visit here, Oct. 19. The president’s stop involved discussions on current defense issues with government officials and defense industry leaders.
DCMA Phoenix commander, Army Col. Christopher Ostby, said the occasion “was the perfect opportunity to share with America’s leaders the great work that our DCMA team performs every day.” From Phoenix, Ostby oversees and supports DCMA Boeing Mesa’s role on the AH-64E Apache program. The Apache helicopter has strong and historic ties to the Arizona community, with Boeing Mesa being the manufacturing home of the aircraft.
After a round table discussion, the president met with DCMA employees and others who were on hand to provide him with an overview of the AH-64E Apache and other military equipment.
Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Brian Bentley, a government flight representative and the chief of flight operations for DCMA Boeing Mesa, and Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Joshua Miller, also a government flight representative with Boeing Mesa, met with the president in front of the Apache they had flown to the base.
Every AH-64E helicopter that is produced is personally flown and inspected by a DCMA GFR before delivery in order to ensure that each platform delivered to the warfighter meets the absolute standards required by the contract.
“Meeting the president was a once in a lifetime experience that I’ll never forget,” said Miller, whose extensive experience with the Apache brought him to DCMA. “I am very thankful for the opportunity.”
As Trump, Bentley and Miller circled the AH-64E Apache, one of the most sophisticated aircraft in the United States military, Bentley shared his extensive knowledge of the aircraft. His role as chief of flight operations allowed him to discuss the 30 years of incremental improvements across each Apache variant.
In their roles as DCMA GFRs, Bentley and Miller are also charged with conducting joint inspection and acceptance test flights on AH-64E Apache helicopters and other aircraft designated for foreign military sales.
Bentley said that the president was very knowledgeable about the Apache program and particularly interested in learning more about its enhanced capabilities.
“The visit was a successful team effort across multiple organizations including the Apache Program Office, the United States Air Force, multiple contract management offices, DCMA Western Regional Command and DCMA headquarters,” said Army Lt. Col. Bryan Wiley, DCMA Boeing Mesa commander.