439th Communications squadron earns best in command

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Andre Bowser
  • 439th AW Public Affairs
WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, Mass. --  For the second time in three years the 439thCommunications Squadron has earned the Air Force Lt. Gen. Harold Grant Information Dominance Unit Award, as the best communications unit in the Air Force Reserve.

The list of major accomplishment, which netted the squadron the award in 2009 and again in 2011, is extensive and includes "prolific output with high operations tempo through massive changes," "net availability supported movements for wars: Libya Operations and counterdrug mission," among other accomplishments noted in the award announcement.

Chief of Operations David Carbin, who also serves as the superintendent on the reserve side as a chief master sergeant, said the squadron earned the big honor by doing a lot of little and big things well.

"We do so many things on a daily basis from the large to the small and they all affect the mission every day," Carbin said. "We've got people who support missions throughout the world."

Carbin said unit members recently deployed to Alaska for a training mission, and regularly lend their expertise throughout the Air Force Reserve Command and beyond.

"We are always leaning forward and we always push to have our people up in the front - so headquarters always sees us in the lead," he said, describing an upcoming mission to help a unit in New Jersey set up a Joint Incident Site Communications Capability package, which allows communications squadrons to support disaster response areas where communications capability has been compromised.

"We are the lead unit in AFRC when it comes to the JISCC package," he said of his unit, which includes more than 70 Traditional Reservists, full-time federal employees, civilians and contractors.

Carbin said his unit offered a wealth of experience and knowledge in the communications industry, and a lot of it came from Reservists.

"My people do this stuff on the outside, including managing networks in their civilians jobs," he said. "So, we put them to work."