Gavin McKinstry

U.S.

Marine Corps Aviation Ordnance Quality Assurance

Safety Observer & Collateral Duty Inspector with experience in quality assurance, maintenance operations, explosives safety, and process improvement. Proven ability to enforce compliance, reduce risk, and improve operational efficiency in high-reliability, safety-critical environments. Strong leader with hands-on experience in inspections, audits, and team training.

Aviation Ordnance Technician at United States Marine Corps (2021-09 – Present)

• Executed hands-on inspection, maintenance, testing, documentation, and certification of aircraft weapons and armament systems in a safety-critical aviation environment, supporting continuous flight operations and operational readiness.
• Served as Work Center Supervisor, overseeing daily maintenance activities, assigning tasks, enforcing safety standards, and ensuring jobs were completed correctly, on time, and in accordance with technical procedures.
• Served as Collateral Duty Inspector (CDI), performing quality inspections and compliance checks to verify workmanship, documentation accuracy, and adherence to technical manuals and safety requirements.
• Maintained accountability for 21,500 pieces of ordnance assets valued at approximately $626,000, ensuring proper storage, handling, documentation, and inventory control.
• Appointed Ordnance Quality Assurance / Safety Observer (QASO), enforcing explosives safety regulations, identifying hazards, and mitigating risk during maintenance, storage, transport, and handling operations.
• Applied Lean Six Sigma Black Belt principles to streamline maintenance workflows, reduce rework, and improve efficiency while maintaining high safety and quality standards.
• Trained and mentored personnel on safe work practices, proper tool and equipment use, documentation standards, and procedural compliance.
• Coordinated with maintenance, operations, logistics, and leadership teams to keep work moving, prevent delays, and support high-tempo operational demands.
• Ensured strict compliance with safety, regulatory, and audit requirements while working with high-risk equipment and materials.
• Leveraged NALCOMIS data to verify task completion, support inspections and audits, and improve maintenance tracking, accountability, and workflow visibility.

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

Work center Supervisor Course

Aviation Ordnance Technician (Class "A" School)

Aircraft Weapons & Armament Systems Training (AH-1 / UH-1)

Collateral Duty Inspector (CDI) Training

Ordnance Quality Assurance / Safety Observer (QASO) Training

Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) & Explosives Safety

Operations Planning & Risk Management

Leadership I & II

Maintenance Documentation & Tracking (NALCOMIS)