31st ADA commander honors Airmen

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kenneth W. Norman
  • 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Col. Michael Morrissey, 31st Air Defense Artillery Battalion commander, Fort Sill, Okla., presented 35 Airmen with the Army Achievement Medal, Jan. 9, 2012 for their efforts in deploying Patriot missile batteries, about 400 soldiers and more than two million pounds of equipment in support of NATO efforts to augment Turkey's self-defense capabilities.

"It is incredible work you have been doing for the last seven to ten days pushing our battalion out to Turkey," Morrissey said. "I have to tell you, you talk about joint operations, we had Airmen and Soldiers working shoulder-to-shoulder loading personnel and equipment safely all hours of the day and night."

Airmen from Altus AFB, Charleston AFB, S.C.; Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.; Travis AFB, Calif.; reserve units from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas and Westover Air Reserve Base, Mass., and a Kentucky Air Guard Contingency Response Group unit provided a timely and safe delivery of troops and cargo throughout the 24-hour-a-day operation.

The deployment followed U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's Dec. 14, 2012 order to deploy the batteries to de-escalate the situation along the Turkey-Syrian border, while demonstrating Alliance solidarity and resolve.

Along with the Airmen, three Altus community leaders were recognized for their efforts in making the soldiers as comfortable as possible before they deployed.

"What your community has done for our soldiers during the last week, the food you provided and the care and support made that trip a lot easier and we are forever in your debt," Morrissey said.