JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- The 514th Air Mobility Wing, here, captured two-of-five award categories during the 17th Annual Fourth Air Force Raincross Trophy Dinner held Oct. 20 in Riverside, California.
The Freedom Wing’s 732d Airlift Squadron earned The Aircrew Excellence Award and the 514th Maintenance Group was announced as recipients of The Chief Master Sgt. James K. Clouse Trophy for maintenance excellence.
The award justly recognizes a fantastic job done by one of our 732d C-17 crews while deployed, but is symbolic of the wonderful C-17, KC-10 and Aeromedical evacuation crews doing amazing things around the world every day said Col. Robert Dunham, commander 514th Operations Group referring to the Aircrew Excellence Award..
Dunham's remarks are echoed by Col. Anthony Esposito, commander 514th Maintenance Group in terms of his unit. "My people did a great job performing a lot of hard work," said Esposito. “The recognition is well-earned."
Other Raincross winners included:
The 315th Airlift Wing from Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina received the top award, The 2016 Raincross Trophy. The 434th Mission Support Group, Grissom Air Reserve Base, Indiana and the 624th Regional Support Group, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, respectively, took home the Tech. Sgt. Anthony C. Campbell Jr. Trophy in recognition of being the best mission support group in 4th AF and the Medical Excellence Award.
The award dinner was sponsored by the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce Military Affairs Committee. It is held to celebrate the excellent work and commitment of the 16 wings and one group comprising the numbered Air Force and was a highlight of the 4th AF Commander's Conference.
The Raincross Trophy recognizes exceptional airmanship during an individual mission or sustained operations and carries bragging rights as the best wing or group in the numbered Air Force. In 1998, the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce elected to commemorate the 'return home' of Fourth Air Force, by creating a new trophy -- The Raincross Trophy - to honor the best of the best.