Twitter
Facebook
***image1***The U.S. Air Forces in Europe Operational Weather Squadron recently earned the 2004 Fawbush Miller Award for Outstanding Weather Squadron.
The Air Force-level Fawbush Miller Award is decided through packages submitted from the eight operational weather squadrons around the world.
The squadron here, which also won three 2004 USAFE awards, took the Fawbush award for the first time since 1999.
“It’s very tough competition; all the weather squadrons are doing really great things,” said Lt. Col. Tim Hutchison, USAFE OWS commander. “I think it really shows the quality of people we have. We have so many bright young people who really care about weather operations.”
The squadron provides weather support for all Air Force and Army in the European Command ranging from the Atlantic Ocean, Europe, northern Africa and parts of Russia. The squadron’s total weather support spans 21 million square miles.
Individual weather teams are located at most bases throughout USAFE and they must maintain good communication with the squadron in order to get weather information out.
“I don’t want to take any light off of the individual weather teams throughout USAFE. We are the main forecasting center but they get the message out at their locations,” said Colonel Hutchison.
The USAFE weather squadron conducts close to 21,000 flight weather briefings per year and provides weather support for any deployments or exercises in the EUCOM theater. Forecasters from the weather squadron work in the field as weather teams in order to get a good feel for training environments.
“Weather can make or break operations,” said Colonel Hutchison. “That’s why we really strive to integrate with the operations in the field.”
With so many operations and exercises being conducted during Operation Iraqi Freedom, the OWS has been vital to the mission. They provided weather support for the largest troop movement since World War II. They were commended by Gen. B.B. Bell, U.S. Army in Europe and 7th Army commander, for their efforts. The squadron was also the lead weather center for the D-Day 60th anniversary operations.
On top of exercise and operations support, the squadron serves as a training facility. All first-term weather Airmen must train at one of the eight OWS in the world before working at individual weather units. The squadron also provides equipment and forecasting training for NATO officials.
“It’s a world-class weather forecasting organization,” said Colonel Hutchison. “These Airmen are totally focused on the Air Force mission. It’s humbling in a sense.”
