Reserve AWACS unit wins 17th outstanding unit award

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Caleb Wanzer
  • 513th Air Control Group public affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  The 513th Air Control Group was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for exceptional meritorious service from Dec. 5, 2010 through Dec. 4, 2012.

During that period, the 513th excelled both at home station and abroad on two major deployments to Southwest Asia.

While deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2011 and again in 2012, the 513th flew more than 5,000 combat hours and controlled more than 8,000 aircraft in the skies over Afghanistan.

A combined 30 airmen from the 513th Maintenance Squadron and 513th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron volunteered for the 2011 and 2012 deployments and integrated with active-duty Airmen to keep the E-3 Sentry aircraft flying.

To Lt. Col. Alan Priest, the chief of maintenance for the air control group, the award wasn't a surprise.

"Whether it is volunteering to deploy and excelling in an austere environment, overcoming the challenges of maintaining an aging fleet or breaking new ground daily in integration with our [active-duty] partners, it's my honor to be able to serve with these outstanding patriots," Priest said.

While closer to home at Tinker AFB, maintenance reservists provided the majority of day-to-day experience as they worked side by side with Airmen from the active-duty 552nd Maintenance Group.

The Airmen also developed multiple cost-saving ideas and submitted 69 recommendations that led to more than a million dollars in savings for the Air Force.

"The 513th was competitively selected from among more than 60 [Air Force Reserve Command] wings and direct reporting units," 513th ACG Commander Col. Jeffrey McGalliard said. "The selection was based on sustained superior performance and the commitment to excellence from our people."

Airmen assigned to the 513th ACG and its subordinate units during the award time period are authorized to wear the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award ribbon, and should check with the 507th Force Support Squadron to ensure that the ribbon is added to their records.

Subordinate units of the 513th Air Control Group include the 970th Airborne Air Control Squadron, the 513th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, the 513th Maintenance Squadron and the 513th Operations Support Flight.