The Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD) aboard aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (Ike) was recognized as one of the top AIMD programs in the Navy following a perfect score on their Aviation Maintenance Inspection (AMI), Jan. 14.

AMI is conducted roughly six months prior to a ship's deployment and inspects more than 40 various AIMD programs to verify that maintenance is being conducted properly.

Representatives from Commander, Naval Air Forces (CNAF) Aviation Maintenance Management Team (AMMT) conducted the shipboard AMI and assessed the department using a three-tier grading system. Each graded program was given a score of "on track," "needs more attention" or "off track."

"Aviation maintenance is fundamentally dangerous," said Senior Chief Aviation Electronics Technician Herbert Turner. "AMI validates that we are doing maintenance by the book."

Cmdr. Vencent Logan, Ike's maintenance officer, said it is rare for an AIMD department to receive a perfect score on their AMI.

"Normally, a department will receive at least one 'needs more attention,'" Logan said. "But the average 'off track' is about three programs."

Turner, who developed the plan to prepare for AMI and oversaw its execution, attributes the department's success to three key elements: availability, transparency and follow through.

"Our quality assurance representatives (QARs) had to be constantly present within the department," Turner explained. "The department knew they could ask questions of my QARs, and my QARs were helping correct the deficiencies that they found."

Through transparency, Turner ensured the chain of command was aware of the deficiencies discovered by the QARs so they could correct them as a team.

"We set deadlines," Turner said. "These had to get corrected by a certain date, and they were. We followed through and made sure everything was fixed like it was supposed to be."

In the fall of 2015, Ike went to sea for the first time following an extensive two-year shipyard period. For many of the junior Sailors working in AIMD, a steep learning curve was necessary to guarantee a successful AMI.

"Our Sailors wanted to know how to do the job correctly," Turner said. "All we had to do was provide the tools and training for them."

Within four months, Ike's AIMD was not only engaged in AMI preparations, they were in full swing supporting a full air wing as well.

"They were standing up programs that had not been touched in two years," Logan said. "To get them to inspection-ready status within a few months says a lot about their dedication and that they believe in achieving high standards."

For more news from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), visit www.navy.mil/.