Barksdale Tower reaching high

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Amber Ashcraft
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Airmen here won top honors in the 2011 Air Force Global Strike Command Airfield Operations Flight Awards.

Barksdale won the Air Traffic Control Facility of the Year award, and two ATC Airmen were named best of the best in individual categories.

"I believe winning ATC Facility of the Year is truly humbling for all of us," said Senior Master Sgt. Timothy Gibson, 2nd Operations Support Squadron superintendent. "We'll now be competing against the rest of the major command winners at the Air Force level. While we all work hard regardless, it's nice to be recognized for the work we are doing here at Barksdale. Just to have a chance at being named the best Air Traffic Control Facility in the Air Force is an honor in itself."

While a large award package was submitted to the MAJCOM, Gibson believes a few major bullets contributed most to the Barksdale ATC facility win.

"The Air Traffic System Evaluation Program inspection is a once every three year, in-depth inspection of every aspect of ATC to include our office work, actual day-to-day operations and our training program," he said. "We received a 98 percent compliance rating and it's a number that's extremely impressive."

Another major bullet included the 6,552 hours of training for three-level Airmen that yielded 26 certifications. Typically eight to 10 three-level controllers are on staff at Barksdale, requiring the training program to be inventive and creative for these Airmen, Gibson added.

The Barksdale ATC facility also directed recovery and response for 129 aircraft emergencies that resulted in the protection of $5.3 billion of Air Force assets.

"Most of our controllers have only been assigned to Barksdale for about two or three years," said Tech. Sgt. LaChandra Franklin, 2 OSS, air traffic training and standardization NCO in-charge. "Since this is their first MAJCOM award and they put in so much work, they're pretty excited about competing at the Air Force level."

Though the entire ATC facility was recognized, two Barksdale Airmen won individual awards as well. Air Traffic Control Manager of the Year was awarded to Gibson.

"I've been blessed to work with amazing people that made it exceedingly easy for me to do my job," said Gibson. "When you are surrounded by a group of hard working, dedicated professionals like we have here at Barksdale, it is easy to be recognized as their leader just because of the amazing work they do every single day."

The command's Air Traffic Controller of the Year award went to Staff Sgt. Matthew Morrow, who recently moved to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

"Morrow was one of the most confident Airmen I have met which is a desired trait in the stressful job of controlling aircraft," said Lt. Col. Reid Langdon, 2 OSS commander. "He was also one of our go-to trainers making sure our newest Airmen learned the ropes."

Both Gibson and Morrow deployed during the award period, taking the fight to the enemy and excelling at their deployed location as well as at their home station, he added.

Air Traffic Control Airmen aren't highly visible every day, but their dedication is, on and off the flightline.

"Each and every day we have outstanding Airmen and civilians at Barksdale getting the mission done to ensure we are prepared to defend our nation if called upon," said Langdon. "Winning these awards is a great honor and highlights what we already know; our Airmen and civilians who man the tower are getting it done, supporting the mission each day. I'm very proud of their accomplishments and awards."