CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Two Charleston Airmen recently graduated from the C-17 weapons instructor course and took home three of the six awards given for outstanding performance during the course.
Capts. Samuel Todd, 14th Airlift Squadron C-17 pilot, and Cassius Bentley, 16th Airlift Squadron C-17 pilot, stood above their peers in their C-17 WIC.
The C-17 WIC is a master's level C-17 tactical employment course that lasts five-and-a-half months and is based out of McGuire AFB, N.J. Each class covers 355 graduate level academic hours and 97 flight training hours and consisted of six students from different bases.
Captain Bentley received two awards. The first one was the Academic Award, for being the graduate who achieved the highest academic average above 95 percent. The weighted numeric average of academic examinations, research paper, and graded presentations comprise the criteria for this award.
He also received the Outstanding Graduate Award which is presented to the graduate who consistently demonstrated the qualities and potential to be an outstanding weapons officer. It recognizes the overall outstanding graduate of the C-17 WIC. WIC instructors reviewed overall classroom and flight performance and nominated a distinguished graduate by a weighted average vote. The squadron commander's final assessment determined the overall outstanding graduate.
"I knew I had a pretty good average, but I wasn't expecting to receive any awards," said Captain Bentley. "Everyone in the class did a great job, and the award could have gone to any one of us."
Captain Todd received the Flying Excellence Award, presented to the graduate who demonstrated outstanding situational awareness, flying skill, flight leadership, mission commandership and tactical employment of combat aerial delivery. To qualify, students had to achieve a graded sortie average of 2.00.
"I put a lot of effort and energy into the course," said Captain Todd. "It was a very good feeling to receive an award."
The squadron commander reviewed sortie grades and overall flight performances and determined the recipient of the Flying Excellence Award. This award is given at the discretion of the C-17 WIC Commander.
"I didn't think I did much to set me above anyone else in the class," said Captain Todd. "I think the class as a whole did great and anyone could have won the award."
Both captains applied to the WIC last summer and were selected to attend in January and graduated June 16. After graduating the course, the captains are given the new title of weapons officers.
"This was a very tough school mentally for me because I had to be away from my family for so long," said Captain Bentley. "In the end it was definitely worth it; it made me more of a critical thinker."
"Captain Todd and Captain Bentley were both excellent students," said Capt. Jimmy Fuller, Weapons School C-17 weapons instructor. "I have no doubt that both officers will do great things in their Air Force careers."