The 116th Air Control Wing and 461st Air Control Wing at Robins Air Force Base earned an “excellent” rating in Air Combat Command’s Operational Readiness Inspection completed Sept. 8.

A team of more than 70 people from Air Combat Command’s Inspector General office lived at Robins for six days while they looked at the performance of Air National Guard and active-duty personnel in the two wings, according to a release.

The wings operate the EC-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, which is heavily used in combat operations. The wings have been preparing for the inspection during the past year by conducting four readiness exercises replicating combat situations in a simulated chemical warfare environment, according to the release.

The Inspector General team chief awarded an Inspector General coin to Tech Sgt. Sean Cummings, 116th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron production expeditor, for exceptional performance. Cummings stepped in when a key flight line supervisor was intentionally removed from the scenario. A production expeditor monitors the flow of tools and equipment.

A total of 37 individuals and 18 teams were named “superior performer.”

“This was truly a team effort,” said Brig. Gen. William Welsh, 116th Air Control Wing commander, in the release. “Our operations and maintenance groups shined, but our ‘Excellent’ rating would not have been possible without the tireless work of our support personnel.”

J-STARS squadron wins national award

In more good news from the J-STARS, the 116th Air Control Wing’s 128th Airborne Command and Control Squadron will accept a national award Monday.

The squadron is winner of the Air Force Association’s Earl T. Ricks Award. The squadron will accept the award at the Air Force Association’s Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition in Maryland.

The unit is getting the award for “distinguished service” in support of military operations in Libya. The squadron helped enforce a no-fly zone and detect enemy ground movements.

“This is a testament of our war-fighting capabilities and of our airmanship in contingency operations with NATO forces,” Lt. Col. John Verhage, squadron commander, said in a release. “I’m extremely proud of their accomplishment.”

The Earl T. Ricks award is given to Air National Guard personnel. It was established in 1954 in honor of Maj. Gen. Earl T. Ricks.

To contact writer Wayne Crenshaw, call 256-9725.