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386th AEW Airman receives top AF weapons safety award

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jerilyn Quintanilla
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

Maj. Gen. Andrew Mueller, Air Force Chief of Safety and AF Safety Center commander, presented the 2015 Air Force Chief of Safety Outstanding Achievement Award for Weapons Safety to Tech. Sgt. Lucas Long at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, March 18, 2016.

The purpose of this award is to recognize Airmen for their achievements and contributions to the Air Force’s explosive safety program. 

Long, who is currently deployed to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, earned the award for work accomplished while deployed to Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan and at his home station of Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.

As the weapons safety manager in Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Long was tasked to ensure joint and coalition members on the airfield complied with weapons safety regulations. He led the efforts to authenticate more than 100 radio frequency transmitter locations safeguarding the munitions supply valued at $49 million. Long was also responsible for coordinating the base amnesty program completing more than 750 inspections and terminating approximately 40,000 unsafe munitions.

For Long, the award isn’t just recognition for a job well done; it serves as a reminder of the importance of hard work and mentorship.

“I have some great mentors who took the time to teach me,” he said. “They taught me to make it a priority to remain proficient in my job, the importance of having the right attitude and to never get complacent. These lessons have helped me every step of the way.”

Among Long’s mentors is former 451st Air Expeditionary Group Chief of Safety Lt. Col. Robert Lankford.

“Sergeant Long is the finest NCO I’ve seen in my 18 years in the Air Force. He exemplifies what the Air Force expects of its NCOs. He was a sought after technical expert who had the respect and trust of senior leaders and decision-makers,” he praised.

Now as a member of the 386th AEW, Long continues to demonstrate a high level of expertise and commitment to excellence, neither of which go unnoticed.

“In winning this award, Sergeant Long showed that he could not only rapidly learn a new - and highly-technical - mission set, but that his knowledge, dedication, attention to detail and performance truly separated him from his peers,” said Lt. Col. James Thompson, 386th AEW Chief of Safety.  “It's an honor to work with such an outstanding professional, and I'm very pleased that the Air Force's Chief of Safety was able to present him with his award in-person.”

In 2015, Long also received the Air Force Central Command and Air Combat Command’s Weapons Safety Award for the first and second quarters.