Demonstrating excellence - in spades

The service men and women at Fairchild Air Force Base just won the Super Bowl - and Monday, March 14, they got their trophy.

In a ceremony in the base's Hangar 2, U.S. Strategic Command Consultation Committee member W. Gary Gates presented 92nd Refueling Wing commander Col. Charles B. McDaniel the Omaha Trophy. The award is given out annually to selected units in one of five categories that best support the United States Strategic Command's strategic deterrence, space and cyberspace missions.

Those five categories include ballistic missile, submarine ballistic missile, strategic bomber, strategic aircraft and global operations. Fairchild won in the strategic aircraft category, the newest category recognizing the best air-refueling wing, reconnaissance or airborne communications wings.

The award was created in 1971 in Omaha, Neb. by the U.S. Strategic Command Consultation Committee as a way to recognize and extend appreciation to military personnel in the area, similar to the way businesses and civic leaders are recognized. The trophy rotates annually, and is awarded based on "formal evaluations, meritorious achievement, safety and other factors such as community involvement and humanitarian actions."

"It's the Super Bowl of your mission area of national defense, and you should be very proud," Gates told the hundreds of airmen assembled.

Deputy commander of U.S. Strategic Forces Lt. Gen Stephen W. Wilson told the crowd - which also included representatives from the city of Spokane, Cheney, Liberty Lake and Spokane Valley along other civic and business leaders - that the award signifies a unit's dedication to excellence and commitment.

"You demonstrate that in spades," Wilson added.

Fairchild's list of achievements in winning the trophy is long, and includes refueling 25 percent of forces during 2013's Nobel Eagle exercise, leading the first wave of tankers supporting initial air strikes against the Islamic State last September, helping evacuate people from Yemen with just 12 hours notice along with passing numerous test requirements with no errors.

At a post assembly press conference, 18th Air Force commander Lt. Gen. Samuel Cox added that receiving the award is also indicative of the success the base has achieved in making sure the airmen understand and connect with the mission, stressing everything from maintenance and operations excellence to providing services such as medical care.

"It's a team effort and it goes beyond active duty," he said.

Both Cox and Wilson also spoke about the impressive support the base receives from local communities. Both asked airmen at breakfast earlier in the day about what it was like to serve at Fairchild.

"We love the community and in fact, they love us," Wilson said was the frequent answer. "I didn't have to prompt that, it just came out."

It was a sentiment McDaniel reiterated in accepting the trophy.

"It's not lost on us how much the community supports us day in and day out, we thank you," he said.

At the press conference, McDaniel said the support shows the community understands the base's mission and allows airmen to participate in the community through volunteer service.

"Accepting us in the community goes a long way," he added.

McDaniel praised the efforts of the service men and women under his command, and thanked Wilson, Cox and others for remembering what it takes to be an airman.

"It's not my trophy, it's your trophy," McDaniel told the assembly. "We'll win it again. Saddle up, and drive on."

This is the third time Fairchild has won the Omaha Trophy, taking home the award in 1999 and 2002.

John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].