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On Oct. 2, 2025, the Operational Support Airlift Activity (OSA-A) marked its 30th anniversary during a luncheon celebration at Walsh Hangar on Davison Army Airfield, Ft. Belvoir, Virginia. The event was hosted by OSA-A Battalion Commander, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Leala McCollum.
For the past thirty years, OSA-A has provided much needed fixed-wing aviation support for the Army utilizing a multitude of airframes, such as the C-12, C-20, C-21, C-23, C-26, and UC-35, ensuring personnel and cargo were delivered safely and on time.
Originally activated on October 2, 1995, the U.S. Army Operational Support Airlift Agency (OSAA), merged fixed wing assets and personnel of the Active Component and the Army National Guard to form one of the Army's first multi-component operational commands. As an Army Field Operating Agency under the National Guard Bureau, OSAA provided the single headquarters for the management and execution of the total Army operational support airlift (OSA) program. This merger unified executive and non-executive Operational Support Airlift for total Army requirements; consisting of an integrated staff designed to share resources and promote unity of effort. OSAA provided trained fixed wing aviation elements to perform aerial sustainment and conduct the OSA program in support of Army and DoD Joint requirements.
On October 4, 2015, the Agency transitioned to become the Operational Support Airlift-Activity (OSA-A), an Army Field Operating Agency re-aligned under The U.S. Army Aviation Brigade (TAAB), Military District of Washington (MDW). Today, OSA-A is a multi-component fixed wing battalion that provides the operational support and program management to the Army National Guard fixed wing enterprise fleet, consisting of 54 separate flying units and approximately 600 Soldiers. OSA-A remains ready to support Joint airlift requirements with a ready pool of aircrews piloting C-12, C-26, and UC-35 aircraft. The OSA-A enterprise is postured to safely support dynamic global mission requests and fulfill Combatant Commander requirements with a wartime ready fixed wing force. Throughout the week leading up to the celebration, McCollum officially declared that week as OSA-A spirit week, temporarily authorizing wear of the original OSA-A unit patch which helped raise morale as personnel made final preparations and navigated a government shutdown that could have prevented the celebration from happening. Luckily, the spirit of everyone reflected “the show must go on” and the anniversary successfully unfolded in the Walsh Hangar on Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir, Va.
In addition to current members of the organization, former OSA-A personnel from the past thirty years were in attendance, recognizing the incredible bond that is unbroken when a person becomes a member of the OSA-A family. This included family members and children as they played in the bounce houses, competed in cornhole, and took tours of the aircraft on display. OSA-A’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) Commander, Capt. Virgil Gardner, along with several others, provided mouthwatering food with the family-style barbecue as members opted to provide a potluck style menu, bringing recipes to life from all over the world. Sgt. Porto, one of OSA-A’s HHC NCOs, coordinated a food contest called the “Carnivore Clash” that did not disappoint, culminating in a winner by vote to Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jonathan Myers, one of the pilots of the Operational Flight Detachment.
During the more formal portion of the anniversary, McCollum and guest speakers, Brig. Gen. David Doran, Special Assistant to the Director, ARNG, and Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Manny Almanza, former OSA-A Command Sergeant Major, spoke on behalf of OSA-A, bringing to light an oral history of the organization. They recounted the immeasurable contributions members of OSA-A have made, and continue to make, as well as why it is imperative that OSA-A continues to remain at the forefront of Army Fixed-Wing Aviation. OSA-A continues to succeed within the current state of “do more with less”, especially as the Army fixed-wing aviation enterprise seems to constantly be on a constrained budget and reduced manpower across the aviation enterprise. To end the formal portion, a cake-cutting ceremony was conducted by McCollum, accompanied by OSA-A’s newest member, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Cedric Ebrottie, recently reporting to the command just the week before. They were also joined by OSA-A’s longest serving member, Mr. Johnny Tilley, who retired in August 2025 with over 40 years of loyal and dedicated service with OSA-A, both as a soldier and as a civilian.
As everyone celebrated with cake in hand, former and current members mingled and shared stories with each other during their time at OSA-A, offering advice and words of wisdom. Others were reflective and shared memories of their time with the command, further strengthening the lifelong bond being a member of OSA-A will bring. It was also an opportunity to see people who have since hung up their uniform and traded it for a suit, such as Sgt. Maj. (Ret.) Victor Angry, who became avidly involved in the local community as an elected representative, or Ms. Unsok Worden, who worked as one of the civilians at OSA-A and is now enjoying a well-deserved retirement.
As people started saying goodbyes, the thirtieth anniversary was over, with a promise to create a more regular occurrence in coming years. In terms of unit functions, having an anniversary celebration seems almost surreal for this young organization. When you think of big anniversary celebrations for military units, you might picture a place like an American Legion or VFW filled with vets from previous wars and conflicts. Our history doesn't go as far back as many organizations, but it is still filled with many important stories about how members of OSA-A have continuously gone beyond the call to fulfill the unit's mission, including wartime readiness and peace through strength. Our team has persevered in the face of adversity, maintaining 30 years of esprit de corps, which speaks volumes to the type of service members and civilian who have serve and continue to serve in OSA-A. Establishing a precedent like this is why they are successful in today’s world: continuously going beyond the call to fulfill their mission of Wartime Readiness, as they persevere in the face of challenges, maintaining this lifelong esprit de corps speaks volumes to the type of servicemembers and civilians that make up OSA-A.
| Date Taken: | 01.29.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 02.01.2026 16:58 |
| Story ID: | 557063 |
| Location: | FORT BELVOIR, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 13 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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