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WASHINGTON — A C-130E Hercules instructor pilot from Ramstein was presented with the Cheney Award by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz Oct. 8 for his leadership in planning humanitarian aid missions to the country of Georgia.
The Cheney Award is presented each year to a servicemember who demonstrates an act of valor, extreme fortitude or self-sacrifice in a humanitarian venture. This year, the award went to Capt. Daniel Santoro of the 37th Airlift Squadron.
“Today it is a special privilege to recognize an individual Airman who, because of his training, experience and commitment to the mission, executed so well on behalf of others,” General Schwartz said during the presentation ceremony. “Thank you for demonstrating what it means to be competent and respected operationally … prerequisites for everything we do in our Air Force.”
According to the awards citation, Captain Santoro led a team of eight intelligence and tactics personnel to develop multiple executable plans after the August 2008 invasion of Georgia by Russia.
As the airlift expert for the 3rd Air Force operations plans team, he led the stand up of a 24-hour operations center and initiated a standby force. With the uncertainty of an evolving mission, Captain Santoro provided guidance on the defensive and payload capabilities of the C-130E.
“He rapidly mobilized the squadron’s tactics cell, organized the intelligence support for flying operations, and began planning for opposed, unopposed, humanitarian, and Noncombatant Evacuation Order operations,” said Lt. Col. Mark August, 37th AS commander.
By the time the 3rd AF planning cell met the next day, Captain Santoro was able to provide tactical airlift options for the air component of U.S. European Command, then shifting focus to prepare the squadron’s crews for around-the-clock operations, Colonel August said.
“I can easily say that the success of Operation Assured Delivery was based on his professionalism, expertise and leadership,” he said.
Captain Santoro’s experience helped determine aircraft defensive countermeasures, routing and refuel locations to accommodate a long overnight flight. His leadership allowed the squadron to complete 29 missions, deliver 95 passengers and 211 tons of humanitarian aid to Georgia.
The captain credited his fellow squadron Airmen for helping him earn the Cheney Award.
“My biggest thanks goes to the men and women of the 37th Airlift Squadron for their unwavering professionalism and airmanship in executing a plan that not only helped the U.S. meet strategic national objectives, but also made a difference in people’s lives,” Captain Santoro said. “The food and supplies that we airlifted saved lives and helped prevent a humanitarian disaster in the region. For that, my hat’s off to them.”
Captain Santoro graduated as distinguished graduate from the U.S. Air Force Weapons School in June 2008, just two months prior to these events.
At the time of the Georgia-Russia war, Captain Santoro was planning the squadron’s mission for a cross-continent effort in September to Botswana and South Africa to support AFRICOM.
“Upon completion of the humanitarian effort, we still took two aircraft across all four hemispheres for partner-building exercises,” Colonel August said, adding that the captain also deployed in October 2008 as part of the 737th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron command package to CENTCOM. “During his time there, he received accolades from the Combined Joint Forces Air Component Commander for shaping theater-wide airlift policy. In short, he’s that good, and it’s a privilege to work with and for people of this caliber.”
