An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Hawaii aerial porters garner Air Force award

  • Published
Hickam's 48th Aerial Port Squadron is the Air Force's best Air Reserve Component Air Transportation Activity for 2008.

Lt. Col. Randall Honke, 48th APS commander; Chief Master Sgt. Leland How, 48th APS air freight superintendent; and Col. Robert "Randy" Huston, 624th Regional Support Group commander, traveled to Washington, D.C., May 29 to receive the award. Maj. Gen. Robert H. McMahon, the Air Force's director of logistics, presented the award.

"This award is a result of the accomplishments of the squadron as a whole, as well as each individual member," Colonel Honke said. "It is their dedicated service to our nation, willingness to voluntarily deploy and always giving their best efforts that won us this award and the recognition that comes with it."

Reservists in the Air Force Reserve Command unit routinely volunteer for missions around the world including contingency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and exercises such as Pacific Lifeline. More than 20 percent of the squadron is deployed to Joint Base Balad, Iraq.

Colonel Honke and his people are always looking for better ways to train and equip the squadron so Airmen volunteer to deploy.

One success story is the Seasoning Training Program, which allows the reservists to work 90 days on active duty with Hickam's 735th Air Mobility Squadron. The program gives them more opportunity to achieve job proficiency than they would get training on drill weekends and during two weeks of annual tour.

"Training is critical to mission success,and we will continue to provide opportunities for our Airmen to excel," Chief How said. "I am very proud of the level of dedication we have in this unit and volunteerism is at an all-time high.

"Being recognized for this accomplishment reenergized every member's commitment to excellence and puts us on the road towards earning even more awards in the future," he said.  (Air Force Reserve Command News Service from a 624th RSG news release)