Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 302nd Civil Engineer Squadron earned six individual and eight group awards at squadron and group levels for their accomplishments while deployed to various undisclosed locations in Southwest Asia earlier this year.
Capt. Tyler Heilig, who was part of one of the teams that earned an award and a 302nd CES readiness officer, said his team played a critical role in ensuring the success of flying operations at a forward operating base.
“We kept a key airfield open in support of deployed operations,” said Heilig. “We enabled airpower to be projected out of that base.”
Heilig and his team were also able to improve traffic flow to and from the flight line by building a dirt road and readied worksites for new facilities being built on base.
Elsewhere, another group of 302nd CE reservists played a major role in recovery efforts after a major windstorm struck their base resulting in significant damage.
“It’s no surprise that they stood out,” said Lt. Col. Bryan Cooper, the 302nd CES commander. “This is just another confirmation of the great things that we do here and the capabilities that we Citizen Airmen bring to the fight.”
Air Force Civil engineer squadrons provide a full range of support functions to include mechanical and electrical support, heating ventilation and air conditioning maintenance, structural facilities support including construction and maintenance, pavement and runway construction and maintenance, heavy equipment operations, and maintenance and repair of water and wastewater systems to establish, operate, and maintain home station and contingency operating bases.