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931st Intel best in AMC

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Connor Burkhard
  • 931s Air Refueling Group Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  The 931st Operations Support Flight Intelligence Directorate was recently named Air Mobility Command Outstanding Air Reserve Component Intelligence Unit of the Year for 2007.

"(Last year) was a busy year for us," Lt. Col. William Eaton, 931st OSF, Director of Intelligence said.

Primarily, Colonel Eaton and his team provide intelligence support to the 931st Air Refueling Group and its assigned flying unit, the 18th Air Refueling Squadron. But last year, the undermanned unit consistently went above and beyond its primary mission.

For example, they were chosen to support a working group designed to eliminate unnecessary training requirements as part of the Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century initiative. Thanks in part to the 931st Intelligence Directorate, Reservists' ancillary training requirements have been greatly decreased.

"We computed and logged ancillary training and how long it took to complete," Colonel Eaton said. "The work we did helped to get the required ancillary training knocked down to 90 minutes per year."

Another big feat for the office was its support of two separate Air Expeditionary Force cycles.

"We covered two AEFs in one year: Turkey and Guam," Colonel Eaton said. "That's a big deal because we had to get volunteers for both of those."

The 931st's Intelligence troop have also been working hard to support the mission at home.

"We've been providing 24-hour intelligence operations for Noble Eagle for a long time," Colonel Eaton said, referring to the Department of Defense's ongoing efforts to fight the war on terrorism.

Colonel Eaton's team knew they have been working hard, he said, but they never thought their efforts made them the obvious award winners.

"We were told that as an associate unit, winning the unit award would be very difficult," Colonel Eaton said. "It was a real surprise we won."

Seven people are assigned to the intelligence office here, two Air Reserve Technicians and five traditional reservists. They now wait to see the results of competing against other intelligence units at the Air Force level.