JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
The 373rd Training Squadron Detachment 5 at Joint Base Charleston - Air Base was awarded the John F. Entrican award Dec. 14. This was the unit's second award in nine years.
The John F. Entrican award is named for one of the first non-commissioned officers in charge of the Department of Field Training and the award recognizes the efforts of those who have contributed to the success and advancement of the field training mission.
Each year, the John F. Entrican award is presented to the most outstanding detachment in the 982nd Training Group.
The 373rd TRS detachment's mission is to provide aircraft maintenance training to the Department of Defense and its allies in mission-critical needs. There are more than 60 Airmen, including 42 instructors who make the detachment's mission possible.
"I couldn't be more proud to work with such highly motivated and skilled NCOs and senior NCOs," said Capt. Kipp Williams, 373rd TRS Det. 5 commander. "It's a tough competition. Earning this award is a reflection of the professionalism we put in our jobs and life as service members every day.
"In the past year alone we have produced nearly 34,000 training hours which is an astonishing accomplishment," Williams said. "We taught 275 courses to Airmen from around the world. Airmen who are going through tech school, Airmen who cross trained into aircraft maintenance careers and even airmen from foreign countries. Before a student gets a chance to maintain a C-17 Globemaster III or similar airframe, they must first learn the book and training simulators."
More than 900 students process through the detachment each year to learn aircraft maintenance and more than 150 of them are technical school students who are new to the Air Force.
"To ensure our young Airmen are mission ready, they must graduate our 10-week course to complete technical training," Williams said. "Our military training leaders not only teach these young Airmen how to do their jobs, they also groom and shape these Airmen for their future in the Air Force."
Staff Sgt. Matthew Westad, 373rd TRS Det. 5 trainer, said, "Besides teaching students on aircraft maintenance and our additional duties, we have put most of our free time into volunteering. One of our most memorable volunteer activities included running a base-wide Prisoner of War and Missing in Action run for 24 hours."
Detachment 5 also won two other awards; Williams was named the Detachment Commander of the Year and Master Sgt. Julius Walker, 373rd TRS Det.5 chief, was named Detachment Chief of the year.
"Every sport has a championship; The Super Bowl, The NBA Finals, The World Series. We won what I like to call the 'Tour de Maintenance,'" Williams said. "Our staff is dedicated and hard working, it's nice to see their accomplishment are shared with their peers."