PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AIR RESERVE STATION, Pa. -- Millions of gallons of fuel was pushed, thousands of sorties were supported, continuity was upheld for 32 AFRC units, ground-breaking tools were developed and core task and readiness requirements were crushed, and in the end the 911th Logistics Readiness Squadron Fuels Flight came out on top of 31 other AFRC fuels units to be named the winner of the 2016 Golden Derrick Award.
The award was presented by Brig. Gen. John A. Hickok, deputy director of logistics, engineering and force protection out of the Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.
“It’s a very rigorous process to be number one, with multiple rounds of serious competition for this award” said General Hickok. “But, the 911th Fuels Flight remained in the competition and landed firmly at the top.”
On behalf of the Fuels Flight, the award was received by Master Sgt. Ryan Scott, superintendent of the flight.
“It was very nice for the general to make the trip up to Pittsburgh to present the Golden Derrick Award,” said Scott. “It was pretty special because we are his flight. We fall underneath General Hickoks’ area and for him to take time out of his day to come up here and present this award is really flattering.”
The Golden Derrick Award is given annually to the best fuels flight in the command, said Senior Master Sgt. Steven Fisher, deployment and distribution superintendent at the 911th LRS. Fisher played an active role in the flight when they won this award exactly a decade ago.
“It is incredible to see them being highly successful at exceeding standards,” said Fisher. “Seeing them be successful will always put a smile on my face, since the fuels flight is where it all started for me,” he said.
According to Master Sgt. Scott, continuity and good training have been major factors in the flight’s success.
“As new people have come in and others have gone out, our fuels training has always maintained a very high standard,” said Scott. “Our guys come into the flight and are immediately spun up to the level that they need to be at. To win this award you have to utilize the materials and the opportunities that you are given to increase the training and the performance of your people. So, for us, winning the Golden Derrick Award was just a culmination of what we do right every day,” said Scott.
Col. Beena N. Maharaj, 911th Mission Support Group commander, said “they are an outstanding group of professionals who get the job done day-in and day-out. Winning this prestigious award is just proof of what we already know here at the 911th, and that’s that they are the best in the business.”