Warfare Center historian becomes part of history Published Oct. 6, 2010 By Senior Airman Michael Charles Nellis Public Affairs office NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- Every year, Air Force historians work diligently to record the accomplishments and events of their respective units in hundreds of pages worth of documents; however, it is not often that the recording individual is part of that very history. Maj. Gen. Ted Kresge, USAFWC commander presented Mr. Richard Morris, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center historian, with two Air Force level awards by during a ceremony Oct. 1, at the Warfare Center. "It's fascinating to read the amazing amount of events that the staff of the Warfare Center is involved in," General Kresge said. "It is only fitting that the Air Force recognizes the amount of detail and dedication Mr. Morris put into the history of one of the busiest centers in the Air Force." Mr. Morris was the recipient of the Albert F. Simpson Award, which recognizes a history office at the NAF, Center, or laboratory level, and the Dennis E. Casey Award, which recognizes the single best periodic history. Both awards were named after famous Air Force historians. "It's a great honor when somebody takes the time to look at what you've done and recognizes the effort you put behind your work," Mr. Morris said. "The awards not only reflect upon me, but also those around me that make my job easier. I could never do this job by myself. I have always had great support from the people I work with." Writing and submitting a history is a lengthy process. A year's worth of history consists of a narrative, which is hand typed by the historian, about each event that involves the historian's unit. The history also includes hundreds of pages of additional documents that support those events. "I enjoy my job because I'm always learning something new," Mr. Morris said. "When people ask me a question I don't know; I find myself learning new things on my way to getting them an answer." Mr. Morris is not new to receiving accolades for his work. Since arriving at the Warfare Center in 2005, he has two other Air Force-level awards. He also received two more awards during his 30-year active-duty career in the Air Force, from which he retired as a chief master sergeant. Mr. Morris continues to show dedication and attention to detail in his accounts of the Warfare Center history so that in the future, everyone will know the achievements of the Airmen of today. "I have the privilege to document all of the accomplishments our Airmen are involved in, which makes my job fulfilling," Mr. Morris said. "This pride is what has motivated me to keep excelling in this career field as both an active-duty member and a civilian."
