116th Crew Earns AFA 'Battle Crew' Award

Warner Robins AFB, July 24, 2005 -- A Joint STARS crew recently received the Airborne Battle Management Crew of the Year Award for 2006. 

The Air Force Association announced the winners in late July. The award recognizes the members of “Crew 2” for sustained aerial support in the E-8C while assigned to 379th Expeditionary Operations Group, flying in Operation Iraqi Freedom from January to May 2005. The 24-members of Crew 2 are scheduled to receive the award Sept. 25, in Washington, D.C.

As the 16th Expeditionary Airborne Command and Control Squadron, the crew flew 26 combat missions and provided command and control intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to Combined Air Operations Center and Army and Marine ground commanders. As the “premier” air battle management entity in theater for OIF, Crew 2 provided a much-needed communication link and threat warning to more than 500 convoy movements.

Whether leading a response to the largest, most coordinated convoy attack to date in Iraq or tracking suspicious vehicles, no job was considered more important than another.

“I don’t think there was just one event that contributed to the crew receiving the award,” said Lt. Col. Timothy Smith, 116th ACW, mission crew commander.

The crew did whatever it took to get the job done. “Whatever the people on the ground wanted,” said Col. Smith. “If that meant staying longer the answer was always yes.”

The award may go to the air crew, but it is something everyone can be proud of. “The award is about how well we work together as a team,” said Col. Smith. Everyone from the Air Force and Army crew in the plane to maintenance contributed to the award, he said.

This is the 4th Air Battle Crew of the Year Award for the Joint STARS wing. “JSTARS has received this award 4 out of the last 5 years,” said Col. James J. Jones, 116th ACW Commander. “That is an amazing accomplishment.”

“It’s a real testament to everyone that we can do our job consistently well crew after crew,” said Col. Smith. “To the maintainers, operators and support personnel who made this possible, thank you for your excellence,” said Col. Jones.

The Following Joint STARS crew members received the award:

• Lt Col Timothy Smith, Mission Crew Commander, 16 ACCS
• LT Col Edward Sheridan, Deputy Mission Crew Commander, 16 ACCS
• Lt Col William Tart, Navigator, 12 ACCS
• Maj David Wilson, Aircraft Commander, 16 ACCS
• Maj Steve Erickson, Aircraft Commander, USJFCOM/J7
• Maj Eddie Boxx, Senior Director, ACSC
• Capt Edith Correa-Perez, Senior Director, 16 ACCS
• Capt Rory Stein, Copilot, 16 ACCS
• Capt William Seefeldt, Sensor Management Operator, 552 TRS
• Capt Matt Henry, Airborne Intelligence Officer, 330 CTS
• 1Lt Stephen Grogan, Air Weapons Officer, 330 CTS
• 1Lt Joel Roberts, Air Weapons Officer, 16 ACCS
• MSgt Vic DaSilva, Flight Engineer, 116 OSS
• TSgt John Moran, Flight Engineer, 16 ACCS
• TSgt William Stubbs, Communications Systems Technician, 16 ACCS
• Staff Sgt. James Ramirez, Airborne Target Surveillance Supervisor, 330 CTS
• Sgt Robert Zandrowicz, Airborne Target Surveillance Supervisor, 330 CTS
• SSgt Keith Phillips, Senior Director Technician, 16 ACCS
• SrA Colin Fitz-Gibbon, Airborne Mission Systems Specialist, 16 ACCS
• SrA Michele Riles, Airborne Operations Technician, 16 ACCS
• SrA Sarah Sanner, Airborne Operations Technician, 16 ACCS
• SrA David Stelick, Communications Systems Technician, 16 ACCS
• A1C Christopher Kramer, Airborne Mission Systems Specialist, 16 ACCS
• A1C Richard Lawrence, Airborne Operations Technician, 16 ACCS    

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