DAYTON, Ohio –
Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Daniel Mears is the Central Region’s Aircraft Operations superintendent and the unit’s government ground representative. He joined the agency two years ago continuing his 19-year Air Force career.
In his current position, he ensures ground operations at Defense Contract Management Agency Boeing St. Louis, DCMA Lockheed Martin Fort Worth, and DCMA Bell Textron are executed safely and effectively. He also provides routine training and mentoring to the aviation program teams. He is assigned as the primary government ground representative to the E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node program and the Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie unmanned combat aerial vehicle. Mears also supports DCMA headquarters’ Aircraft Operations based at Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia, as a lead ground inspector for biennial inspections at various locations around the world.
Mears is a strong advocate for the region’s service members. He provides regular feedback and champions their achievements through awards and performance reviews. He enlisted in the Air Force in 2006 and has built a career in the maintenance and support of fourth generation fighter aircraft, including the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon.
Mears earned a bachelor’s degree in organizational management from the University of Arizona and an associate degree from the Community College of the Air Force. His military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters and the Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters.
Q1: Why is your job in Aircraft Operations important? Why is DCMA important, especially Aircraft Operations?
A1: People need to understand that reading policy and completing virtual training does not always foot the bill. Both only scratch the surface of understanding how to get the job done. However, when employees can see lessons in action, they are better equipped to fulfill their duties. It is essential, when possible, to provide in-person support and training for employees.
I share my experiences across multiple DCMA sites, which gives employees an outside perspective for surveillance planning and execution. Aircraft Operations is a risky business, and the smallest mistakes can cost millions of dollars. One of the most difficult things is to realize the value our efforts produce. However, it’s clear that if we’re not here in Aircraft Operations mishaps would go unchecked and quality assurance would be an afterthought.
Q2: How has your previous Air Force experience prepared you for this position? What are some of the positions you have held in the Air Force?
A2: I’ve held most of the traditional aircraft maintenance positions you can imagine. Outside of those, I have served as an inspector in the office of inspector general. Prior to DCMA, I was the senior enlisted leader at the 24th Fighter Squadron based at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, Fort Worth, Texas.
I know it’s echoed a lot, but it’s people that make or break an organization. Throughout the years, I’ve worked in challenging assignments with highly functioning teams that made it inspiring to show up every day. Additionally, I learned that attitudes are contagious. When a command team promotes a positive environment and grants latitude in actions, team spirit remains high among the work force.
Q3: What vital skills do military personnel bring to DCMA?
A3: Most of the military personnel I know who are assigned to DCMA are seasoned aircraft maintainers and aircrew. We’ve been around aircraft operations long enough to know what right and wrong looks like. Being able to identify and intervene is invaluable. Additionally, most of us are familiar with change. We are constantly refining our skills as we change duty stations, job positions and deal with the constant rotation of personnel.
Q4: How do you stay engaged with other military personnel at DCMA and in the Air Force?
A4: I participate in virtual meetings and talk to a lot of them often on the telephone. However, I average around 30 temporary duty trips a year, so I have the opportunity to meet many military personnel. I’ve also met previous colleagues and supervisors who have since retired and started careers with defense contractors.
Q5: What are some challenges in your current job, and how did you overcome them?
A5: The biggest challenge I face is schedule consistency. Most of my job duties require me to travel, so I spend a lot of time in hotel rooms. Personally, I am at my best when I have a steady gym schedule and diet in place. Those two things can be hard to maintain when traveling. I try to overcome this by setting aside extra time in the morning for stretching and a walk and packing my own lunches to avoid multiple meals at restaurants.
Q6: What are some of the highlights of your DCMA career?
A6: I loved both my short-tour assignments to Korea, so being able to go back there for an Aircraft Operations inspection with DCMA was nostalgic. It was much less difficult leaving the family for just a week as opposed to a year. I enjoy going to facilities watching aircraft come together and listening to all the stories from prior service members who are now a part of the DCMA team.
My first assignment in Korea was at Osan Air Base when I worked in the Office of Inspector General in 2015. I then returned to Osan Air Base where I was a production superintendent on the U-2 Dragon Lady program in 2020.
Q7: How has DCMA changed since you joined?
A7: Change has not impacted me too much up to this point. However, my position will soon be removed from the Central Region and placed in the new Aircraft Operations & Flight Support Command. I look forward to the new structure and hope it brings as many opportunities as possible to get involved with the numerous teams out in the contract management offices.
Q8: What do you want others to know about senior noncommissioned officers?
A8: Depending on our current assignment, our responsibilities can vary greatly. However, we must always maintain a constant pulse on the enlisted force and speak up on their behalf. We also mentor junior officers as they refine their skills as leaders.
I am proud of the road that got me to where I am today, and I can’t believe it has gone by so fast. The first 10 years on the flightline felt like an eternity, but I have some of the best memories during those years.
Q9: What are your short-term and long-term career goals?
A9: My short-term career goals include reaching the final stretch of military service. It’s always been my plan to retire at 20 years, but if I can stay with DCMA, I may stick around until my 22-year mark. My family and I agree that it’s time to stop moving. I am still trying to figure out my long-term career goals, but I hope to find an organization like DCMA that also makes people the priority.
Q10: Do you want to highlight any mentors, and what is the best career advice that you received?
A10: I’ve had many great mentors throughout my career. Even now, my mentors are several DCMA civilians who have previously served in the military. The best career advice I’ve been given is that jobs may come and go, but do not neglect your family because one day you will wake up and realize how short life is.
Q11: Do you want to highlight any awards that mean a lot to you?
A11: The award I am most proud of was when my unit, the 309th Fighter Squadron Air Maintenance Unit, received the Aircraft Maintenance Unit of the Year award at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, in 2019. We had the last remaining F-16s. Our unit was the last legacy fighter unit among the new F-35 Lighting II squadrons. It was a great feeling receiving that award.
Q12: What career or leadership advice do you give to military and civilian personnel about career progression?
A12: If you want to advance in your career, find someone and take them with you, which is to mentor them. I have learned that you rarely accomplish a lot solo, and effective mentorship results in shared successes and shared progression. If you have been entrusted with a task, let others know how they helped and make sure they know how to articulate their contributions.
Q13: What are your hobbies? What do you do in your spare time?
A13: I just finished building my retirement home, so having hobbies and spare time have been hard to come by. However, I find enjoyment in hiking in the mountains. I enjoy every minute of hiking, especially the victory meal and coffee at the end of the day. Also, I maintain friendships through online gaming. I’m pushing 40, and I cannot keep up with a lot of the younger people in the battle royale games. But I still give it my best shot and live with the constant angst of defeat and moderate heart palpitations.