PSAB aircrew wins AFA award

By SrA. Roger Shreeve
12th EINS/DOO
Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia

A 12th Expeditionary Intelligence Squadron aircrew, Recon 1, has won the Air Force Association’s 15th Annual Gen. Gerome F. O’Malley Reconnaissance Award for 1998.

The O’Malley Award recognizes the best overall USAF reconnaissance aircrew from the past year. The award was announced on behalf of the Air Combat Command Commander, Gen. Richard Hawley, earlier this month.

The aircrew was part of a team effort to provide 24-hour operations coverage to Operation DESERT FOX. The aircrew’s extensive training and exacting expertise allowed it to provide essential integration of tactical assets, accurate analysis of enemy defenses, force protection, and real-time targeting information that enabled combined forces to successfully execute DESERT FOX, the largest coalition operation since DESERT STORM.

Recon 01 consisted of personnel from Offutt AFB, Neb., Kadena AB, Japan, and RAF Mildenhall, England. The crew included Capt. Mike Larocco, Lieutenants Chad Chaffee and Dorothy Martino, and MSgt. Robert Torres of the 38th RS; Lt. Col. Burton Vandenburg, Majors Mark Barnett, Stephen Ling, and Lt. Walter Luther III of the 343rd RS; MSgts. Scot Clyde, Scott Cassell, Kenneth Lehocky, Senior Airmen Grant Hegner, Gregory England, and Russell Oswalt of the 97th IS; MSgt. Dean Thornton, SSgts. Chris Regan, Mark Wienandt, Lisa Bonhart, and SrA Lawrence Diglio of the 390th IS; TSgt. Gregory Dawes, Senior Airmen Aaron Attridge, Casey Hayden, and John Dauteuil of the 488th IS.

The outstanding efforts of Recon 01 are a shining example of their professionalism and devotion to the USAF Reconnaissance Program. Their hard work and unit cohesion once again confirms the 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing motto, “One Team, One Fight.”