GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. – -- Grissom’s boom operators had their hands full in 2016 not only fulfilling mission requirements but also going above and beyond the call of duty helping them earn special accolades.
The 72nd Air Refueling Squadron recently won the United States Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Albert L Evans, Outstanding Air Refueling section of the year for 2016.
The award recognizes refueling squadrons who exceed expectations on and off the ground.
“When I heard [the 72nd ARS] won this award I was truly proud of them,” said Lt. Col. Anne Noel, 72nd ARS commander. “I’ve worked with other units over the years and I can truly say I am continually impressed with the 72nd.”
The squadron consists of 17 qualified boom operators who provide support for aerial refueling missions, aeromedical training and cargo shipment around the world.
“They had two major deployments last year. In addition to that, they participated in exercises and accomplished day-to-day operations successfully; they balanced it all really well,” said Chief Master Sgt. Jeffrey Henry, 72nd ARW in-flight refueling manager. “They did a lot over the past year so they definitely earned this award.”
Overseas, Boom operators offloaded over 12 million pounds of fuel during 250 combat missions.
“The boom operators, they make my job look easy,” said Henry. “They are the ones who did all the work.”
In addition to keeping aircraft flying, operators did extremely well in a recent inspection and provided excellent response times.
When not in uniform, the Airmen continued to shine. Seventy-five percent of the assigned boom operators earned their Community College of the Air Force degree in aircrew operations.
“They finished their CCAF, they flew in a lot of combat missions, took part in exercises and on top of that they stayed on top of their required training,” said Henry. “We threw a lot at them in 2016 and they hit the mark every time.
“It makes me so proud of them; it truly does,” Henry added.
The 434th ARW is the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. Men and women from the Hoosier Wing routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission.
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