ROBINS AFB, Ga. – While their Joint STARS career fields are different, Master Sgts. Richard Quinones and Emory Dean are definitely fighting the same fight with the same award-winning skill and professionalism.
Sergeant Quinones is an active-duty flight airborne intelligence technician from the 128th Airborne Command and Control Squadron. Sergeant Dean, an Air National Guard technician, is an instructor flight engineer in the 330th Combat Training Squadron.
The two met in survival school at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., a few years ago where they served as NCO and assistant NCO in charge of their class and have been working together on the Joint STARS ever since.
As friends and coworkers, the two sergeants have deployed on the same crew to support the global war on terrorism and even been roommates in the forward operating location.
A couple of weeks ago, Sergeant Q, as he’s sometimes called, was looking through his e-mail when he came across one that said Sergeant Dean had been selected as the National Guard Bureau’s 2005 Staff Sgt. Henry E. “Red” Erwin Outstanding Enlisted Aircrew Member of the Year.
“It didn’t surprise me when I saw Emory’s name,” the 16-year master sergeant said. “He’s such a caring person. I knew I had been submitted for the same award on the active-duty side, but just seeing him win was enough for me. I was really happy.”
A couple of weeks passed then Sergeant Q got another e-mail from the vice wing commander – this time saying he had received the same award at the Air Combat Command level.
“I said ‘You’ve got to be kidding me,’ the San Antonio native said. “I had just been selected as the 8th Air Force Aircrew Warrior of the Year. It was one on top of the other – kind of like a dream. I even received a letter from the ACC vice commander. I carry it with me all the time. I guess because I have never received anything like it in my Air Force career.”
Sergeant Q flew 45 combat missions and more than 500 combat hours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom during the award period. In addition, he received two Air Medals between October and December 2005.
“He supported identification and destruction of enemy insurgent safe havens in Iraq,” said Lt. Col. Joseph Schmidt, 128th ACCS commander. “He was a vital crew link in discovering numerous terrorist and insurgent weapon caches.”
Sergeant Dean who joined the Air Force Reserves in 1987 as an F-15 aircraft battle damage repair mechanic, said his current job as an instructor at the 330th CTS is the pinnacle of his career. But winning the award is also a highlight.
“Winning the award has been like a whirlwind knocking me off my feet,” said the sergeant who has spent his entire Air Force career here at Robins. “Friends all over the unit kept coming to me saying congratulations and shaking my hand and sending e-mails – and I was lost. I even got an e-mail from one of my best friends who is deployed to the FOL right now. Finally, as I was going through the e-mail, I saw the message that said I had been selected for the award. I was floored. I still can’t stop smiling.”
During the award period, Sergeant Dean flew 37 combat missions totaling more than 320 combat hours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was also hand-picked to fly combat missions to provide support for ground troops during the Iraq Constitution Referendum voting.
“He provided rock-solid situational awareness for Army and Marine ground commanders conducting convoy security operations,” Colonel Schmidt said. “He was also instrumental in the execution of Operation River Gate which flushed out insurgent-infested towns along the Euphrates River.”
Another key factor in both NCOs selection for the award was their precise command and control of ongoing efforts to counter insurgent operations. During one five-day period, they kept “eyes on” the enemy while coalition forces discovered and destroyed more than 10,000 pounds of explosives, the colonel explained.
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