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116th Air Control Wing is awarded the NGAUS Spaatz Trophy

Maj. Gen. David Poythress presents the Spaatz trophy to Brig. Gen. Tommy Linn, 116th ACW commander, during at ceremonies at the State Capitol.

Georgia’s 116^th Air Control Wing has been awarded the prestigious Spaatz Trophy, awarded to the overall outstanding ANG flying unit. The trophy, which is awarded by the National Guard Association of the United States, was presented to Brig. Gen. Tommy Linn, the unit's commander, at ceremonies at the State Capitol earlier this month. The award criteria covers seven areas: events of national and international significance, exercises and deployments, operational airlift missions, human resources, accident-rate history, unit awards, and community involvement.

This award, which was named for Gen. Carl Spaatz, the first chief of staff of the independent Air Force, was adopted by the Association in 1967. It had been presented by the National Guard Bureau from 1949 until 1967, to recognize the most outstanding squadron in each existing Air Guard Wing. Selection of the winner of the Spaatz Trophy is based on overall combat readiness during the reporting year and the unit’s performance with respect to all other Air Guard flying units.

Factors included in the evaluation are flying safety; aircraft operation readiness; weapons firing; unit alerts; unit manning; skill level qualifications; retention; drill attendance; operational readiness inspections; outstanding accomplishments and special missions and exercises. Also taken into consideration are any circumstances which were considered adverse to the unit mission and beyond the control of the Spaatz Trophy.

The 116th Air Control Wing (ACW) is the first combined wing in Air Force history comprised of both traditional and fulltime National Guardsmen and active duty Air Force personnel.  The National Guard wing was activated in September 2002 with a combination of the former 116th Bomb Wing members of the Georgia Air National Guard and members of the 93rd Air Control Wing of the active Air Force.  The combined wing is the largest wing in the Air National Guard numbering approximately 2,400 members. The Wing is the only unit in the Air Force which flies the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System aircraft. Within months of the unit’s transformation, it was called to active duty to provide support for Operation Iraqi Freedom.  The unit still has personnel and resources deployed.