919th earns another outstanding unit award

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Samuel King Jr.
  • 919th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
DUKE FIELD, Fla --  Reservists with the 919th Special Operations Wing will need to update their ribbon racks yet again.

The wing was recently awarded an 17th Air Force Outstanding Unit award. The timeline of the award covers Oct. 1, 2008 through July 30, 2010.

"I'm extremely proud of the people of our wing," said Col. Andy Comtois, 919th SOW commander. "Our wing has a legacy of excellence dating back to 1975 and this award confirms we're extending that legacy."

The 919th won its first outstanding unit award in its first year of operations as a tactical air lift group in 1971 and in its first year as a special operations unit in 1975.

Some of the accomplishments highlighted in the awards package were:

Two MC-130E Operation Enduring and Iraqi Freedom deployments covering 240 days and more than 390 combat missions. 919th aircraft carried 6,240 passengers and offloaded 3.8 million pounds of cargo during that time.

Nine U-28 Operation Enduring and Iraqi Freedom deployments covering 670 days and flying more than 1,928 combat hours.

During a deployment, a Talon team executed a rescue mission of four injured Afghan National Police in extreme cold weather conditions.

Duke Field Talons also brought some the initial supplies into Haiti after the earthquake in 2010. 919th aircraft transported 55,000 pounds of supplies and evacuated 65 people over three flights.

Members from nearly every squadron deployed in support of overseas contingencies from medical squadron personnel, security forces, communications Airmen and explosive ordnance disposal technicians.

The 919th Force Support Squadron also won the Hennessy trophy in 2009 for Air Force Reserve Command.

The wing has been recognized with outstanding unit awards for their accomplishments for 23 years straight dating back to 1987.

"Once again the men and women of the 919th have been recognized for their great contributions to this nation," said Chief Master Sgt. Michael Klausutis, 919th command chief. "It is simply amazing to see the breadth and depth of this wing's impact over the past two years from global expeditionary combat support and combat operations to real world humanitarian missions."