455th EAPS wins ACC's 2010 Verne Orr Award

Published Feb. 27, 2011
By Tech. Sgt. Michael Voss
455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- The 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron here was recently named Air Combat Command's winner of the 2011 Verne Orr Award.

Named for the 14th Secretary of the Air Force, the award recognizes an Air Force active duty, guard or reserve unit that makes the most effective use of its human resources.

In 2010, the 455th EAPS surpassed many of Operation Enduring Freedom's aerial records on the way to claiming the title as the busiest aerial port in the Department of Defense.

In the fourth quarter of 2010 alone, the 158 members of the squadron moved 1,481 passengers, 688 short tons of cargo, on average each day amassing a total of 136,251 passengers and 63,299 short tons of cargo over the three month period. In comparison, other major aerial ports such as Ramstein Air Base, Germany; Travis Air Force Base, Calif.; Dover Air Force Base, Del.; Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.; and the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing in Southwest Asia moved a combined 134,625 passengers during the same time frame.

"Our squadron is the epitome of this award because of the things that are not really told by the numbers," said Capt. James Satchell 455th EAPS deputy commander. "We have a total force squadron here, made of 60 percent Guard and Reserve forces rotating every four months, but they integrate seamlessly and they go above and beyond their required duties to make process improvements."

In addition to breaking single-day records for moving passengers, aerial porters deployed to Bagram relocated thousands of pieces of equipment making room for construction to begin on a new $22 million passenger facility and a $19 million cargo terminal.

"While these numbers are impressive, they don't tell the initiative of the EAPS guys. They have made efforts to build lockers for service members to place their bags while transiting, steel storage systems to protect cargo from the elements until it is ready to moved, and created an organized storage grid for the yard," the captain said.

Throughout the years some heavy-hitters have won the AFA's Verne Orr Award. Winners range from Moody Air Force Base, Ga., in 1994, to the 341st Space Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., in 2002. The most recent winner was, the 1st Helicopter Squadron at Joint Base Andrews, Md., which supports the nation's capital area providing airlift for the members of the executive branch of the government, high-ranking dignitaries and military leaders.

Although honored to be named the ACC 2011 winners and looking forward to this summer's Air Force level competition, the 455th EAPS does not place much emphasis on awards. From the top to the bottom of the squadron, they value supporting the mission, while getting it done more efficiently than anyone else in the Air Force.

"All these pieces are moving while we are making process improvements to support Bagram's enduring requirement and continuing to support the warfighters," Capt. Satchell said.

The Verne Orr Award was started by the Air Force Association in 1985 to honor the U.S. Navy World War II veteran and California businessman who passed away Nov. 27, 2008. His credits as SECAF include structural modernizations, significant budget increases and attentiveness to the needs of Air Force service members.