It is with deep sadness that ASI acknowledges the loss of a dear employee and friend. Al Wilkerson passed away Wednesday morning at his home in Oklahoma City, OK. He was 76. Al was a giant in the field of supportability, especially as it relates to USN and USMC aviation. As one of our associates described: “ASI literally built a company around what Al taught us.” Al served 20 years as a United States Marine and epitomized the meaning of the phrase, “Semper Fidelis.” He had a standout career in the USMC that included duty and deployments with multiple fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and staff positions. His hands on maintenance experience included many aircraft platforms including the AV-8A/B, F-8, F-4, C-117, CH-53, H-34, and A-4. His career included combat tours in some of the most intense battles in Vietnam, including Chu Lai, where 216 Marines lost their lives, and 26 aircraft were destroyed.
Al retired as a Master Sergeant in 1982 and started a new career as a Civil Servant with NAVAIR, where he used his experience in the field to ensure that the men and women on active duty received the best possible support for the systems they worked on. His influence on how Naval Aircraft are supported is probably unsurpassed by any other individual in the past 50 years. He was responsible for leading the direction of the supportability analysis and implementation of support for the A-12 Program. Although that program was never fielded, it provided a myriad of lessons learned and Al was a force in bringing those lessons learned to the rest of NAVAIR. From the A-12, he moved over to the Navy E-6 TACAMO Program where initiated and implemented several game-changing support concepts and initiatives. He envisioned and led the development and implementation of the E-6 Enhanced Phased Maintenance Program, which was the first of its kind in promoting the concept of performing depot level maintenance work at the operating site. The E-6 EPM program directly led to the adoption of the Integrated Maintenance Concept by NAVAIR which is now implemented on nearly every Naval Aviation Program. He pioneered new methods for In-service Maintenance Planning, which led to processes and tools that are now used in varying degrees in many Programs. After retiring for the second time, Al went to work in the contractor world, where among other things, he led the development of a suite of supportability training courses for NAVAIR. As a highly respected subject matter expert in the field, Al personally provided training to over 3,000 NAVAIR employees. Many of these employees now serve in senior positions within NAVAIR.
Through all of these efforts, he inspired many of the creative solutions that ASI is known for today. From hiring one of ASIs founders as a young contractor on their very first delivery order long before ASI was even thought of, to being one of our toughest customers, to inspiring the work we do today, Al will always be a huge part of our legacy. Al was a leader, innovator, and advocate for the discipline of supportability. He was a great storyteller and told stories of his exploits that will be remembered and retold by those who heard them until they can remember no more. Some of our best memories will be of Al holding court at some random dive bar on travel, reminiscing about a cross country bus ride or his buddy in Vietnam appropriately nicknamed “Gummer” who pawned his gold teeth so he and his buddies could have a night out on the town. But most of all, Al will be remembered as a great and loyal friend who always looked out for the rest of us. Al, you will be greatly missed but never forgotten. Fair winds and following seas old friend.