507th command post takes home top AFRC honors

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Richard Curry
  • 507th Air Refuleing Wing
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Oklahoma --  Early this month, Air Force Reserve Command Headquarters announced the 507th ARW CP had won the AFRC Small Command Post of the Year award.

The announcement now places the CP members in the running for the Air Force level award which will be given out at the end of March. To reach this level, the CP members successfully hurdled completion at the 4th Air Force level and then bested CPs of other wings from 10th and 22nd Air Force.

While pleased by the recent announcement, this is not the first time wing CP members have reached the top-tier completion level.

During the past 12 years, the 507th ARW CP has received four numbered air force and four AFRC wins each.

"This time we hope our award nomination is strong enough to take us all the way to winning at the Air Force level," said Senior Master Sgt. James Rock, 507th ARW CP superintendent.

And while reviewing the accomplishments of the command post team, wing officials optimistically agree this may be their year to win.

In 2010, the CP team received their 17th consecutive "Outstanding" rating on their semi-annual communications security inspections.

Additionally, during last summer's unit compliance inspection, inspectors found the team 100 percent compliant and cited their meticulous management of major wing reporting and communications security (COMSEC) programs.

Also, the wing CP team was recognized with a "Best Practice" nod by the 72nd Air Base Wing's Air Force Material Command, COMSEC manager for a flawless COMSEC program.

During the previous year, members of the command post repeatedly volunteered to deploy to fill overseas air expeditionary force roles throughout the theater of operation. The team filled a critical theater superintendent position during a six-month long deployment, providing direct support for 3,400 combat missions to achieve a 98 percent execution rate, as well as supporting 4,800 passenger missions along with the movement of 48 tons of cargo.

What's more, wing CP personnel volunteered to fill a vital "short-notice" three month-long AEF assignment to Ramstein Air Base, Germany. During that deployment they meticulously alerted, launched and recovered more than 1,200 airlift missions with zero CP delays. They also coordinated 14 emergency medical evacuation missions, flawlessly monitored and controlled patient movement to ensure zero lives were lost. Also during the deployment, they oversaw movement of 25 fallen soldiers helping to return the heroes home with honors.

Yet another CP member stepped up to fill a vacancy and deployed with the wing during an AEF mission to Anderson Air Base, Guam.

State side in 2010, 507th ARW CP team members volunteered to assist a sister unit during a manning shortfall, helping ensure they remained mission ready. A controller volunteered to assist the AFRC Command Center during a high tempo operations manning shortfall, while another member served as a key player for the 86th Air Wing's CP. (That team also garnered "Excellent ratings" during that wing's 2010 Operational Readiness Inspection. )

And locally, the 507th ARW's CP professionals continue to serve as the Total Force Integration benchmark program for the first-ever AFRC/Air National Guard Associate Air Refueling Wing, writing the operations plans book and joint agreements for accomplishing both mission and critical training.

They were responsible for initial and continuation training for 62 Reserve and 27 Guard aircrew members training. During 2010, all controllers maintained 100% certification with zero emergency action test failures.

"Our command post team continues to serve as the communication linchpin for local Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard association worldwide operations," said 507th ARW commander Col. Jeffery R. Glass. "They are leading the charge and setting the standard for future similar CP operations."