Gunfighters win Tuskegee team award

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Philip S. Coolberth
  • 366th Security Forces Squadron
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (ACCNS) --  Four members from the 366th Security Forces Squadron currently deployed to Iraq recently earned the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing's Tuskegee Team of the Month honor.

Tech. Sgt. Tobby Slay, Staff Sgt. Nick Allen, Senior Airman Will Edwards and Senior Airman Chris Figueroa won the honor for their work with the 25th Infantry Division's 149th Brigade Combat Team.

Serving as the base's provost marshals -- the Army's equivalent to Air Force security forces investigators -- the four were credited for uncovering a suspected bomb maker and seizing 2,000 contraband items while maintaining a 100 percent crime solve rate.

In addition, the team routinely helped the division judge advocate general and the Army Criminal Investigations Division collect critical evidence for courts martial and began an undercover sting operation at the base.

"Your accomplishments continue to sustain the legacy of the Tuskegee Airman in the Global War on Terrorism and specifically during Operation Iraqi Freedom," said Brig. Gen. Robin Rand, 332nd AEW commander, in a personal letter to the team.

As Gunfighters, winning the award represents "the daily courageous actions of the many combat Airmen in Iraq," said Sergeant Slay, who serves as the NCO in charge of provost investigations.

The members of the 366th Security Forces Squadron, Team COB Speicher, are scheduled to re-deploy home during the summer months.

Other security forces members from the 366th SFS earned additional honors in November while preparing for their six-month deployment at Balad. Senior Airman Brandon Patrick, took one of two exceptional performer awards while attending Air Combat Command's Expeditionary Regional Training Center.

During the 21-day combat immersion school, Airman Patrick and his squad of Gunfighters were credited with crushing the opposition force that tried to overrun their position. The Airman earned individual credit with four "kills" and recognized for his superior tactics, techniques and procedures.

"Airman Patrick employed textbook flanking maneuvers and baited the enemy into the 'kill chain' -- they were out of play before they knew what happened," according to 366th SFS officials. "The cadre of veteran instructors were very impressed with the team, were repelled every attempt -- a first in a very long time -- in true Gunfighter fashion."

After arriving in Iraq, the security forces teams were fully mission capable in less than 96 hours -- another first, squadron officials added. While in Iraq, they enforced law and order, conducted criminal investigations and ran a newly formed special reaction team charged with conducting force protection and anti-terrorism counter measures.

"We hit the ground sprinting. We've had some great mission successes," said Maj. Matt Boschert, 366th Security Forces Squadron commander and current provost marshal at COB Speicher, Iraq. "The investigation team has been at the tip of the spear in combating the threat on the base ... they continue to impress and exceed expectations."

In addition to winning the 332nd AEW award, Tech. Sgt. James Hairston, NCO in charge of the special reaction team, and Senior Airman Will Edwards, criminal investigator, claimed individual honors while serving with the 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron.

Editor's note: Sergeant Coolberth is currently deployed with the 732nd Expeditionary Support Group in Iraq.