Grissom CE Airman earns major award for his front-line service Published Aug. 2, 2012 By Maj. Kelly Howard 434th ARW Public Affairs GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Leading from the front can test the most seasoned manager, but one Grissom senior noncommissioned officer only had six months on station before a deployment put him out front and earned him an Air Force-level award. Senior Master Sgt. Nathan Colborn, 434th Civil Engineer Squadron heavy repair superintendent, was named the 2011 Air Force Outstanding Civil Engineer Manager of the Year in the senior NCO category after arriving at Grissom in early 2010 and deploying in October of that year. "During (his) deployment, Senior Master Sergeant Colborn exhibited all of the qualities which exemplify excellence as a U.S. Air Force senior NCO," said Maj. Paul Brenner, 434th Civil Engineer Squadron commander. "He successfully led junior Airmen of various ranks and technical aptitudes through completion of complex engineering projects under imminent threat of recurring insurgent attacks. "His military bearing and courage were rock solid as he repeatedly forward deployed in the service of joint military and NATO coalition fighting forces," Brenner added. "We were able to do so many cool things on this deployment, and when I think about what was in my award package, I know it would not have been possible without all the people who were with me," said Colborn, a 14-year veteran. "We had some pretty crappy working conditions, but their attitudes were always positive and they just kept coming back asking what was next. It was just awesome." Colborn said he led his team through several major projects throughout Afghanistan. He managed everything from an internment facility demolition to power grid installation to tent building to tunneling for communications installation. One combat outpost was built on a drainage ditch which meant that every rainfall brought raw sewage floating within feet of the Army's facilities, recalled Colborn, who described it as the best feel-good project of the deployment when he oversaw the dredging of 1.5 miles of drainage ditch and installation of three culverts that corrected that stagnant water issue. He said he orchestrated a $1.2 million camera tower relocation project. The cameras were used as added security to detect indirect fire; the outpost was attacked within days of completion and all was caught on tape. "Probably the biggest game changer (for the warfighters) was the bare base mission we did where we built 60-plus tents, laundry facilities and shower facilities; and installed a power grid at another combat out post," Colborn said. "The day we arrived was the first night the Army slept in tents and they'd been there at least two weeks and averaging two to three insurgent attacks a week. "The outpost was in a major insurgent stronghold and was critical to control, so for us to be able to provide this support was extremely rewarding," he added. Colburn said he continued to travel with the Army, going wherever the needs were. According to his award package, Colborn's technical competence allowed him and his team to save $100,000 in contractor fees and complete a major concrete installation project three months ahead of projection. After 500 cubic yards of concrete went into 2,400 forms with 18,000 feet of reinforcing steel, the resulting storage facility allowed Army special operations units to house prepackage ammunition in a hardened shelter. Colborn was lauded for his efforts by the 3rd Special Forces Group - Group Support Battalion commander and awarded the Army Achievement Medal. Colborn said the entire experience proved to be a challenging push forward as he often heard things like "can't be done" or "impossible deadline," but he didn't let that stop him as he and his fellow Grissom members continued to prove themselves at project after project. One such project with an impossible deadline was a creating a runway in a former minefield for unmanned aerial vehicles that provided security to more than 20,000 Allied American Forces. "We worked hand-in-hand with an Army mine clearance team from sun up to sun down to move a massive dirt pile to create this runway," he said. "The clearance team only sweeps six inches deep but we were digging ditches along the sides of the runway a couple feet deep to get the dirt so you definitely had to be aware of what was going on around you. "We beat that deadline by three days, and then due to constraints or issues we had to build an alternate runway in those remaining three days because the Army commander just kept telling us they had to launch on schedule - no matter what," Colborn continued. "They did." The pride in all that was accomplished was evident, but it was the patriotism and service before self that resonated the loudest as he struggled to control his emotions and express his overall feelings about the past year and the deployment specifically. "I recently went to a retirement for a senior master sergeant who was on this trip and he said in all his years he didn't know why he was serving until this deployment," Colborn said. "It was being there so close, having the direct contact and impact on the forward troops, taking indirect fire right alongside of them and improving their quality of life so they could keep going out. "It answered the question of why for him and me," he concluded. The 434th CES is part of the 434th Air Refueling Wing, the largest KC-135R Stratotanker in the Air Force Reserve Command. Airmen from the 434th ARW routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission and U.S. strategic Objectives. Stay connected with the 434th ARW on Facebook and Twitter. Also, connect directly with the 434th CES on Facebook.
