USAFWC & NELLIS NEWS

 

News

Nellis Fuels Management Flight named best in Air Force

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Ryan Whitney
  • 99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
The 99th Logistic Readiness Squadron fuels management flight received the American Petroleum Institute Award, March 28, recognizing the best fuels flight in the Air Force.

This award recognizes the flight for excellence in management, operations, fuels information services, compliance and environment, Air Force initiatives, wing support, and personal achievements.

"Although the fuels team received recognition, all of Team Nellis stepped up to help us achieve this outstanding recognition. All of Nellis deserves the recognition and should be proud of this accomplishment," said Chief Master Sgt. Raymond Campbell, 99th LRS fuels management flight chief.

"The evaluators were not able to do an on-site visit, so the flight put together a package consisting of a 10-page magazine and a documentary style amateur video that was produced and edited by flight members," said Staff Sgt. Jennifer Epperson, 99th LRS fuel control center assistant non-commissioned officer in charge.

In the magazine that was graded for the award, the flight put together a list of accomplishments that they obtained throughout the past year.

"We have been working really hard for this award, and to be named the best in the Air Force is an enormous honor," Sergeant Epperson said.

The Nellis team has won the Drake Award, an award that recognizes the best fuels flight in Air Combat Command, two years in a row.

"At Nellis, we fueled 25 percent of ACC's sorties in 2006. We also fueled 32 Joint Chief of Staff exercises that were conducted over the Nellis Test and Training Range," Sergeant Epperson said.

Nellis was selected as the test location for a new D3 aircraft fuel servicing nozzle. The fuels flight tested this new nozzle on various airframes in extreme weather conditions to help duplicate conditions while deployed, and provided trend analysis data to The Pentagon that directly led to the nozzle being approved for use Department of Defense-wide.

The flight also submitted a AF form 1000. This proposal would put a "Heavy TectorFlex Guard" a 25-foot hose cover that protects the part of the fuel hose that is most susceptible to damage, which has the potential to save the Air Force $1 million annually.

"We are also testing a new O-2 diesel program which, if successful, could reduce our oil dependency and help preserve the environment," said Sergeant Epperson.

"We were able to do all of this because we have created a culture of family here in our flight. Everyone works together and that makes it that much easier for us to get the job done right," she continued.

"In my 26 years of experience, I have evaluated fuels management flights for the Drake Award seven times. Nellis is special, they don't settle for excellence...they deliver it," said Chief Master Sgt. Keith Barkema, command fuels functional manager.

"I have never seen a fuels flight more deserving of the title 'Best in the Air Force' than the team at Nellis," he continued.

Videos