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Nevada Air Guard ‘High Rollers’ recognized with U.S. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Emerson Marcus
  • 152nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
RENO --  During the Nevada Air National Guard's annual awards ceremony at the base on Sunday, the 152nd Airlift Wing announced it was awarded a U.S. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for the time period from October 2012 to October 2014.
The Outstanding Unit Award is presented annually to several units around the country that have "distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service or outstanding achievement that clearly sets the unit above and apart from similar units," according to the U.S. Air Force's website.
"If you look at the amount of deployments we've had and our operations tempo along with our engagement with the community, that's why we got this recognition," said Col. Karl Stark, the commander of the 152nd.
This is the eighth time the 152nd (formerly known as the 152nd Reconnaissance Group) has been awarded the Outstanding Unit Award.

· April 1, 1961  March 31, 1964
· Jan. 26, 1968  July 18, 1968
· July 1, 1985  June 30, 1987
· July 1, 1988  June 30, 1990
· July 1, 1990   June 30, 1991
· Aug. 15, 1992  Aug. 14, 1994
· Sept. 15, 2009 - Sept. 14, 2011
· Oct. 1, 2012 - October 31, 2014

During the time period for the award, the 152nd Airlift Wing deployed about 700 Airmen to multiple countries in support of military operations in Southwest Asia and around the world. Deployment man days totaled 7,768 in support of combat operations and airlift missions in 2013 and 2014.
About 50 Airmen of the 152nd's operations and maintenance groups also assisted in the joint exercise Allied Forge in France in 2014 which commemorated the 70th anniversary of D-Day.
"It recognizes the hard work the men and women of our unit are doing," Stark said. "It's a combination of putting an extraordinary group of people together and when they are able to commit they're able to do extraordinary things."
The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award was authorized by Department of the Air Force General Order 1, Jan. 6, 1954.
Among other award presentations Sunday, Nevada Air Guard Chief Master Sgt. Michael DelSoldato was awarded the Bronze Star for his service in Afghanistan, and the 152nd Intelligence Squadron received the Meritorious Unit Award.
The 152nd is comprised of about 1,000 Airmen serving at the Nevada Air National Guard Base in Reno, most of which serve as traditional Guardsmen working one weekend a month and two weeks each year.  More than 300 Airmen serve full-time at the base.