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Airfield management flight wins prestigious award

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Shane Dunaway
  • 36th Wing Public Affairs
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --  Brig. Gen. Phil Ruhlman, 36th Wing commander, presented the 36th Operations Support Squadron's airfield management flight with the Ronald D. McCarthy Airfield Management Facility of the Year award during the monthly wing promotion and recognition ceremony held at the base theater May 27.

Capt. Anthony Hayes, 36th OSS, initially received the award during the Worldwide Airfield Operations Conference in Las Vegas May 4. This is the first time the flight has won the award at Air Force level.

"This is the most coveted award in the airfield management community," Captain Hayes said. "When an airfield management facility is presented with this award, it validates everyone's hard work and commitment, and tells everyone else that when it comes to operating and maintaining an airfield, your facility is the best in the Air Force."

In 2009, airfield management played an instrumental role in the development of an $8 billion ramp design, providing valuable information to engineers to create a ramp that meets the needs of Marines and Air Force.

Airfield management planned and oversaw the execution of airfield projects totaling more than $70 million and developed a plan for an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance strike complex that would increase aircraft parking space by 10 percent. The 15-person team also provided support to transient, exercise and deployed aircraft here.

"The accomplishments of my airfield management folks over the past year have been amazing," Captain Hayes said. "This award is normally won by facilities in much larger units. However, the factors that put us over the top this year were the accomplishment of the numerous airfield improvements that significantly enhanced combat and humanitarian ops capabilities and aircraft safety."