Back to Citations Sorted by Job
Operations Citations
Staff Sergeant Shawn M. Sutamavong distinguished himself by meritorious service as Maintenance Operations Controller, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Air Staff, Undisclosed Location. During this period, Sergeant Sutamavong deployed in support of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, filling a critical manning shortfall. He processed maintenance status and needs for eight units comprised of sixty-four aircraft across seven airframes, completing one thousand eight hundred status changes, and facilitated the delivery of five million seven hundred thousand pounds of fuel, enabling thirty-two thousand one hundred and thirty-six flight hours. Additionally, Sergeant Sutamavong executed one hundred thirty-eight quick reaction checklists where he initiated emergency personnel response for seventeen injuries, and fifteen in-flight and ground emergencies, safeguarding one thousand sixty-three maintenance personnel, and the wings six-billion-dollar aircraft fleet. Finally, Sergeant Sutamavong teamed with production and operations to create a consolidated maintenance and flying schedule, facilitating the uninterrupted generation of four thousand one hundred seventy-nine sorties, and two hundred and sixty-nine thousand pounds of ordinance. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Sutamavong reflect credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
Meritorious service while serving as Director of Operations, 31st Maintenance Squadron, 31st Maintenance Group, Aviano Air Base, Italy, from 27 August 2019 to 11 June 2023. During this period, the outstanding professional skill, leadership, and ceaseless efforts of Captain Talmadge resulted in major contributions to the effectiveness and success of the 31st Fighter Wing's crucial integration with 25 NATO partners and the execution of over 33,000 flying hours. In addition, Captain Talmadge stood up a mission sustainment command and control element within Aviano's Wing Operations Center in response to Russia's aggression against Ukraine which facilitated the 31st Fighter Wing's seamless alignment with the NATO Air Tasking Order, and enabled over 3,000 combat air patrols. Moreover, as Officer in Charge, 555th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, he led mission generation and support efforts of three Wings during Exercise THRACIAN VIPER, validating NATO's enhanced Air Policing tactics and increasing F-16 aircrew combat mission ready certifications by twenty five percent. Finally, as Director of Operations, Captain Talmadge upheld the highest standards of the Wing's nuclear surety program, supporting seven surety exercises and garnering the squadron's 2022 USAFE Maintenance Effectiveness Award. The distinctive accomplishments of Captain Talmadge reflect credit upon himself, the 31st Fighter Wing, and the United States Air Force.
Major Richard F. Altherr distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Chief, Strategic Communications and Non-Kinetic Information Operations Planning, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. During this period, Major Altherr led the communication team in planning for the standup of the Air Force's first joint task force command, effectively educating 29,000 Airmen about this critical Secretary of the Air Force priority. From a warfighting perspective, Major Altherr served as lead communication advisor to the Coalition Forces Air Component Commander during May 2016 Syria strike operations, effectively synching Air Force and Department of Defense messaging and information regarding the first-ever use of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range in combat operations, reported by over 30 national and international media outlets to demonstrate coalition capability. As a fully qualified public affairs, information operations, and military information support operations planner, Major Altherr served as subject matter expert to help stand up command data and knowledge management working groups, prevented classified information spillage during a critical MISO product review, and led command operations security reset efforts to include creating an effective command policy and training program for eight command program managers, impacting all deployers within the command's area of responsibility. He was a critical leader in early command efforts to execute Secretary of Defense directive to integrate information as the 7th Joint Function, and authored an integrated communication planning framework that envisioned how the command could meet this requirement in the future. Major Altherr's efforts culminated in his selection by Headquarters, Air Force, to continue these information and communication integration efforts on behalf of the entire Air Force as part of the Vice Chief of Staff-sponsored Operations in the Information Environment innovation effort. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Major Altherr reflect credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.