 Brig. Gen. Lynn (r) accepts the Spaatz Trophy from Maj. Gen. David B. Poythress |
Brigiadier General Tommy Lynn, commander of the 116th Air Control Wing accepted the prestigious "Spaatz Trophy" signifying the outstanding Flying Unit in the Air National Guard during a ceremony in Atlanta. Maj. Gen. David B. Poythress, the Adjutant General made the presentation at the state Capitol.
The Wing was first notified that it had won the Trophy by the National Guard Association of the United States at its annual conference in Las Vegas in September.
Named for Gen. Carl Spaatz, the first chief of staff of the Air Force, the trophy is presented annually to the overall outstanding Air National Guard flying unit, in this case for calendar year 2003.
Brig. Gen. Tom Lynn, commander of the 116 ACW, said, "This award is indicative of incredible work by incredible people. I am extremely proud of each and every one of them." He also noted that the "Spaatz Trophy is the most coveted flying unit award in the Air National Guard and richly deserved by the men and women of the 116th."
Less than two years ago this wing made Air Force history when it became the first blended unit. The 116th is comprised of both Air National Guardsmen and active duty Air Force members, and was the first of its kind to be activated as part of the Future Total Force initiative. Under this initiative the active duty, guard and reserve members work side by side in all mission types.
And this historic transformation came at a very busy time for the Air Force.
"Three months after we blended, we went to war," said Lynn. "We have not backed off since then," he added.
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General Spaatz
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Selection of the winner is based on overall combat readiness during the reporting year, and the unit's performance with respect to all other Air Guard flying units. The factors considered for the award also include events of national and international significance, exercises and deployments, human resources, accident-rate history, unit awards, and community involvement. More than 90 flying wings are eligible to self-nominate, and the trophy can be received more than once.
The 116 ACW is the only Air Force unit operating the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, Joint STARS, the most advanced ground surveillance and battle management system in the world. Its radar has a range of more than 150 miles, making Joint STARS effective for supporting the full spectrum of roles and missions, from peacekeeping operations to major theater war.
During 2003, and only months after its transformation, the wing completed the largest deployment in its history as it supported Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, flying more than 5,000 combat hours. The wing was activated in September 2002 through the combining of Georgia's former 116th Bomb Wing and the active Air Force's 93rd Air Control Wing. The combined wing is the largest of its kind in the Air National Guard boasting 2,800 members.
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