News Release 02-2011-1: 446th Airlift Wing Reservists earn Meritorious Unit Award Published Feb. 12, 2011 By 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs MCCHORD FIELD, Wash. -- The Meritorious Unit Award was awarded to the 446th Airlift Wing here, Feb. 2, 2011, for their exceptional conduct and performance of outstanding service to the United States in direct support of combat operations from Oct. 1, 2008 to Sept. 30, 2010. The nearly 2,100 people of the wing earned this award for contributing directly to national objectives by continuously demonstrating their combat readiness as they fulfilled global peacetime and wartime operations by flying more than 9,700 missions in more than 42,000 flying hours averaging 2,000 missions every four months to 11 different Iraqi airfields, which is an increase of more than 30 percent from the previous two years. Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner, Jr., Air Force Reserve Command commander, passes his thanks to the members of the wing. "The men and women of the 446th Airlift Wing have demonstrated unprecedented leadership, dedication to duty, and patriotism while in direct support of global peacetime and wartime operational missions," said the General. "The members of this organization should be extremely proud of their many achievements and contributions resulting in this prestigious award." Mission support units such as the 446th Civil Engineer and 446th Security Forces Squadrons mobilized for deployments, in which they provided security and emergency response at strategically critical air bases in Iraq. The Mortuary Affairs team developed the first ever Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations carry team, while returning more than 250 fallen troops to their families with dignity, honor, and respect. The Meritorious Unit Award recognizes Air Force Reserve, active-duty, and Guard units for outstanding achievement and service in direct support of combat operations during the period of military operations against an armed enemy of the United States on or after Sept. 11, 2001. The unit must display such outstanding devotion and superior performance of exceptionally difficult tasks as to set it apart and above other units with similar missions. This is the second time the 446th Airlift Wing has earned the award. The wing also won it back in 2007. -30-