TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. – Capt. Christopher Mosley and Master Sgt. Spencer Shaw were each presented with an annual civil engineering award Jan. 25 for their outstanding performance on a 2021 deployment.
Mosley, 507th Civil Engineering flight commander, was presented with the 2021 Major General Eugene A. Lupia Award for his role as the Officer in Charge on his recent deployment. Mosley demonstrated his excellence by coordinating technical upgrades, overcoming project shortfalls, and correcting design flaws.
“It was a challenging experience but an experience I’m glad I went through,” Mosley said. “My commander wasn't on site, I was the person who had to make sure I knew exactly what rules were, and make sure we were enforcing those rules, and make sure that people were taking care of one another and themselves.”
Shaw, who acted as the heavy equipment noncommissioned officer in charge on deployment, was granted the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Goddard award for his exceptional efforts during his recent deployment. On the deployment, Shaw advanced the unit’s innovation ability, orchestrated various engineering contingencies, and oversaw the execution of various programs.
“It is what it is,” Shaw said. “You embrace it. When I got there I realized it wasn’t as bad as I thought,” Shaw, said of his deployment experience. “The group of guys that Capt. Mosley were working with, were some of the hardest workers that I've ever worked with. The team dynamics altogether were just awesome, and everybody just meshed well together.”
Not only did Mosley and Shaw prove their efficiency in their field of work while on the deployment, but they also demonstrated leadership and wingmanship among their crew members.
“We did all kinds of things to keep up morale,” mentioned Shaw. “We had monthly stand-down days where we would get together, and we’d talk about what's going on in our lives.”
“Each month we had a wingman day,” reiterated Mosley. “It was just a big group where we would hang out and talk. Especially as the OIC, I wanted to make sure everybody’s well taken care of. I wanted to make sure everybody’s feeling okay.”
Both Mosley and Shaw emphasized that everything they achieved on deployment to win their respective awards was a team effort, and that the hardworking crew itself made the deployment into a rewarding experience that they would both gladly sign up for again.