81st LRS, two-time AETC champs

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Travis Beihl
  • 81st Training Wing Public Affairs

Air Education and Training Command named Keesler’s 81st Logistics Readiness Squadron the 2015 LRS of the Year, Jan. 28, 2016.

This marks the second time in two years the squadron has won this award at the major command level.

“Winning for the second year in a row reinforces my belief that we’re completing our mission and achieving our goal of logistics readiness,” said Maj. Melissa Harrison, 81st LRS commander. “The work ethic here is the best I’ve ever seen. It’s one thing to come to work, do the job and go home, but the Airmen in this squadron are always looking to better every process, whether big or small.”

The 81st LRS is divided up into four flights of excellence:

Deployment and Distribution flight or “D Flight”

  • As the second-largest mobility platform in AETC, the Deployment and Distribution flight deployed approximately 400 Airmen last year, moved 180,000 passengers and 100,000 tons of cargo in support of Keesler’s training mission and served as a focal point for special events like the 2015 Air Show/Open House, AETC senior leader conference and 2015 Mississippi State Special Olympics.

 Quality Assurance Flight

  • Quality assurance is the commander’s single point of contact for the health of the squadron. Along with providing the unit commander and senior leadership with logistic process assessments, the QAF ensures a standardized, repeatable and technically compliant process of execution.

 Vehicle Management Flight

  • While managing 422 vehicles worth $26 million from cradle to grave, vehicle management also coordinates, validates and manages vehicle requirements for 24 different units spread across three separate major commands and boasts a historic 96.8% mission capable rate for Keesler.

 Contracting Officer Representatives

  • CORs are responsible for government oversight of the base supply, munitions, and fuels areas within their contracts,  maintain a relationship between all contractors and customers, perform inspections and ensuring the contractors and government meet all contractual agreements.

     

“I’m elated because the Airmen in this unit are getting the recognition they deserve for their hard work,” said Harrison. “Every day, I tell them ‘thank you.’ After a while they get used to it hearing that, but when they get recognized at a higher level it sticks. It’s easier to believe they’re appreciated. We couldn’t have won this award two years running without the hard work and dedication of every Airman in this squadron.”

The 81st LRS will now move on to compete with the other MAJCOM winners at the Air Force level.