Linebacker of the Week: Tech. Sgt. Charles Higgins

Photo By Staff Sgt. Aubree Owens | U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Charles Higgins, the noncommissioned officer in charge of Airfield Weather Operations with the 36th Operations Support Squadron, uses a Kestrel 4500 NV Pocket Weather Tracker to forecast the weather at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, March 23, 2022. The Team Andersen Linebacker of the Week recognizes outstanding enlisted, officer, civilian and total force personnel who have had an impact on achieving Team Andersen’s Mission, Vision and Priorities. (U.S. Air Force photo illustration by Staff Sgt. Aubree Owens)  

ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, GUAM

03.28.2022

Story by Staff Sgt. Aubree Owens 

36th Wing

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Charles Higgins, the noncommissioned officer in charge of airfield weather operations with the 36th Operations Support Squadron, was recognized as the 36th Wing’s Team Andersen Linebacker of the Week at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, March 23, 2022.
The Team Andersen Linebacker of the Week recognizes outstanding enlisted, officer, civilian and total force personnel who have had an impact on achieving Team Andersen’s Mission, Vision and Priorities.
Higgins leads a team of five Airmen, while directing 24/7 airfield weather operations and training in support of continuous joint and allied bomber, fighter, cargo, tanker, rotary-wing, and remotely piloted aircraft operations.
“Our shop is vital to the 36th Wing’s mission because we provide weather intelligence to stationed and deployed aircrew personnel, which enables them to effectively plan and execute operations on the base,” said Higgins.
Higgins has embodied the spirit Linebacker II’s Maximum Effort ethos since getting settled in with the 36th Wing. In 2020, he tackled the role of Multi-Capable Airman and led a two-member team of weather Airmen through a six-day exercise with the 36th Contingency Response Group. During the course of this exercise, Higgins certified 29 tactical job qualification standard tasks, all while fighting through the degraded communications infrastructure of a contested battlespace.
“Tech. Sgt. Higgins is the type of person who always puts the goal of the team above his own personal goals, and his drive for success makes our unit stronger,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Ryan Kegler, the weather flight chief of the 36 OSS.
Higgins’ dedication drives him to seek opportunities to advance joint and multinational operations that enable the 36th Wing ability to project air power and strengthen partner capacity across the Indo-Pacific Theater.
“This award means a lot to me,” Higgins said. “It felt really good to be recognized for the past two years of work I’ve done here.”
The term Linebacker is rooted deep within Team Andersen’s history. Operation Linebacker II took place on Dec. 18, 1972, and was the largest number of heavy bomber strikes launched by the U.S. Air Force since the end of World War II. During the operation, B-52s from Andersen flew round-the-clock bombing missions over North Vietnam to destroy major targets in Hanoi and Haiphong in an effort to bring the Democratic Republic of Vietnam back to negotiations.
The recipient will have the opportunity to sign a “Linebacker” football jersey that will be displayed in the Wing Headquarters building.
Way to go, Higgins!

• Date Taken: 03.28.2022
• Date Posted: 03.29.2022 19:15
• Story ID: 417350
• Location: ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, GU