JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
Master Sgt. James Knox won the Air Mobility Command's Outstanding Air Force Aviation Resource Manager award for fiscal year 2013.
Knox is the 437th Operations Support Squadron Host Aviation Resource Management assistant superintendent at Joint Base Charleston - Air Base, S.C.
Knox managed the 437th Airlift Wing's deconsolidation of the Air Force's only merged HARM and Squadron Aviation Resource Management sections. He allotted 23 aviation resource personnel and $17,000 worth of equipment to four 437th Operations Group flying squadrons.
"This means there was a complete transformation on how we conducted business," said Knox. "I needed to balance expertise and training along with brokering the needs of our aviation managers to squadron leadership across the group."
The HARM and SARM sections manage functions related to scheduling, standardization and evaluation, flying and ground training, aviation flight records, parachutist jump records and squadron operations.
Senior Master Sgt. Jill Amoruso, 437th OSS superintendent, nominated Knox for the award because of his hard work and attention to detail on the deconsolidation.
"He was responsible for the relocation of personnel across four squadrons, said Amoruso. "He did an exceptional job."
The deconsolidation was during the time deployment schedules were undergoing changes. The 437th OSS stayed on four-month deployments but the four flying squadrons were moved to two-month deployments.
"The process was a challenge due to the scale and nature of the duties formerly performed compared to the new makeup," said Knox. "The deconsolidation changed the landscape of our career field for the active-duty personnel at JB Charleston to more traditional ARM squadron setups."
Also, as AMC lead for the review of the stage management operations unit tasking code, he proposed changes to the management leadership position and made Air Force Specialty Code modifications. Additionally, Knox identified wing manning discrepancies, aligned aircrew with Headquarters Air Force guidance, and reduced errors by 80 percent.
On top of that, he completed nine credits towards his bachelor's degree in Psychology with a 3.7 GPA.
"It says more about the people around me than it does about myself," said Knox. "I'm a team guy, not a me guy."
The 437th OSS provides flying operations support to 437th and 315th Airlift Wings. They are responsible for ensuring wing personnel meet worldwide C-17 air land, airdrop and special operations airlift requirements.
The unit is directly responsible for airfield management, life support services, flight records management, weather and intelligence support, airlift scheduling, tactical employment and aircrew training for approximately 1,400 active and reserve personnel.
The 437th OG ARM team was also awarded the AMC Small Team of the Year award for fiscal year 2013 making them the AMC Small Team of the Year for two out of the last three years.
"The work is put in every year," said Knox. "We were fortunate to take home the award this year."