116th ACW receives Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Published Jan. 12, 2007 By 116th Air Control Wing ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- The 116th Air Control Wing has been awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. The wing distinguished itself through exceptionally meritorious service from Aug. 31, 2004 to May 31, 2006. This is the thirteenth Outstanding Unit Award the 116th has won, the second since the wing became the first total force wing, blending active duty and Air National Guard members in October 2002. "In the Air Force, only a handful of ANG organizations nationwide receive this honor. I congratulate the men and women in the unit for this singularly distinctive honor." said Maj. Gen. Scott Hammond, Commander of the Georgia Air National Guard. "The AFOUA acknowledges those truly exceptional units in the Air Force that perform at the very top of their respective field. I share with Maj. Gen. Hammond and the entire Georgia Air National Guard in the justifiable pride of this unique accomplishment" said Lt. Gen. David Poythress, the adjutant general for Georgia. The unit is receiving the award for continued and unprecedented advancement as the only blended, total force wing in the United States Air Force; for consistently deploying above global military force presence surge rates; for providing over 7,350 combat flying hours and 700-plus sorties for Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom and for totally immersing in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts -- rapidly deploying 156 personnel to the distressed region. "The men and women of the 116th have made extraordinary contributions to the Global War on Terrorism. I'm extremely proud of the combined accomplishments of the Active Duty, Air National Guard and civilian employees that make up this unique wing. Receipt of this award helps validate what I am fortunate enough to see every day--that the members of the 116th Air Control Wing are truly outstanding professionals leading the way in the total force transformation effort," said Col. James Jones, commander of the 116th Air Control Wing. The 116th ACW is the only Air Force unit operating the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, which is the most advanced airborne ground surveillance and battle management system in the world. The 116th ACW will be presented the award in the near future.