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437 AW earns AFA Verne Orr Award

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Sam Hymas
  • 437th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  The 437th Airlift Wing was named the Air Force Association's 2008 Verne Orr Award winner May 13.

"It is a fantastic recognition for our team efforts to 'Take the Fight to the Enemy!' I'm so proud to command the No. 1 of 288 wings in the Air Force," said Col. John "Red" Millander, 437 AW commander.

The wing delivered more than 213 million pounds of cargo, 24,000 passengers, and executed more than 19,000 missions, 23 percent more than any other wing, with an Air Mobility Command-best reliability rate of 96 percent. It developed an emergency fuel plan allowing 16,000 predator flight hours, a 30 percent increase from original planning. Leading AMC, the wing initiated the aerial port expeditor program, saving more than 199 man-hours per month and reducing the launch sequence of events by 55 percent.

This is only the second time a single wing has garnered the Verne Orr Award and its local community the Abilene Trophy the same year. The Abilene Trophy is presented to the community that best supports the base.

Every Airman and civilian in the wing can be proud of the part they play as a member of the 437 AW, Colonel Millander said.

"It is awesome to see that all of our hard work has paid off," said Staff Sgt. Jesse Garcia, 437th Medical Group dental technician. "Charleston Air Force Base may be broken down into individual shops and sections, but works as a team to get any job done right the first time."

The AFA will present the award during its Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition 2008 this September in Washington, D.C.

Before winning at the Air Force level, the wing was selected as the Verne Orr Award nominee for Air Mobility Command.

Colonel Millander felt the 437 AW was given this honor "because of our people ... they put the life in lift," he said. "Our people are the best in working together to get the job done and that's exactly what the Verne Orr award recognizes. They continually amaze me with their ingenuity, their hard work and their dedication to the mission and service to our great nation."

The Air Force Association established this award in honor of former Secretary of the Air Force Verne Orr. The award recognizes an Air Force unit (active or Reserve) that makes the most effective use of its human resources.