Dark Knights are AETC’s top unit for tech training Published Jan. 21, 2009 By Susan Griggs 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, MISS. -- Team Keesler took the spotlight at the 2009 Air Education and Training Command Symposium last week in San Antonio. The 338th Training Squadron received the inaugural Gen. William Looney Award recognizing the command's top technical training squadron for 2008 from Gen. Stephen Lorenz, AETC commander. The award is named for an Air Force Academy graduate and combat pilot who served as AETC's commander for more than three years. He retired from active duty last August. The award was presented before more than 3,000 symposium participants, including 100 from Keesler. It recognizes outstanding contributions and enhancing impacts to the technical training mission, unit improvements and base and community support. Lt. Col. Stacy Yike commanded the squadron before departing for Air War College in June. Lt. Col. John Thomas now leads the Dark Knights and accepted the award on behalf of his team. "This validates that I serve as the commander of a very special, very dedicated, very professional and very effective team of people," Colonel Thomas commented. "I'm amazed by the way this squadron successfully managed the transitions we've faced," the colonel continued. "We had to replace a director of operations and a first sergeant, welcome a new senior enlisted manager and introduce three new flight chiefs as well as break me in when I arrived in June. That shows a healthy, vibrant group of people that can focus on the mission while accepting and adapting to significant changes. "The individual and team effort over the past year are what earns recognition like this," he pointed out. "It's not any one person who makes success like that -- it's the entire team. Colonel Yike really had things humming along when I assumed command from her, and she deserves a lot of the credit." "We're delighted the mighty Dark Knights were honored," said Brig. Gen. Greg Touhill, who attended the symposium and was on hand for the award presentation. "The competition was fierce as there are so many great units training America's Airmen. To emerge as the best in the command is an incredible recognition and shows what great Airmen we have here at Keesler." During 2008, the 338th TRS graduated 2,000 students despite deploying 35 percent of its military instructors, an effort which was recognized with the 81st Training Group's Verne Orr Award. The squadron sent 42 mobile training teams around the world, training more than 300 Airmen while saving $600,000 in student travel costs. The Dark Knights stepped beyond their training role to repair Keesler's tactical navigation system, ensuring that the 403rd Wing's Hurricane Hunter C-130Js could provide real-world updates to the National Hurricane Center during Hurricane Gustav. The squadron reconstituted training only two days after the hurricane, graduating 523 students on time and saving $180,000 in delay costs. The 338th TRS developed an online seven-level course which enables students to receive required training at any location around the globe, eliminating $1.2 million in travel costs annually. By obtaining new simulation software, the squadron managed to reduce equipment requirements by 40 percent and cut purchases by $2.9 million. Significant unit improvements included an active squadron Top III that led eight professional development seminars including five guest speakers and two command chief master sergeants. The unit's 193 Airmen were 100 percent current on required professional military education, with one Levitow Award winner and two distinguished graduates. The Dark Knights also reduced military training and academic barriers by instituting monthly reports and meetings between instructors and military training leaders. The 338th TRS pledged $15,800 to the combined federal campaign, raised $34,000 for area schools and collected $24,000 for cancer and heart disease research. The squadron logged more than 23,000 off-duty volunteer hours working on eight Habitat for Humanity houses and three KaBoom playgrounds. The unit also had five "sky high recruiters" that recruited 479 new members for the Air Force Sergeants Association. The Dark Knights represented the Air Force as the state flag team at parades in New Orleans and D'Iberville. Many squadron members were also involved in base organizations and the honor guard.