Dark Knights’ commander earns public affairs award Published Nov. 19, 2008 By Susan Griggs 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, MISS -- Lt. Col. John Thomas, commander of the 338th Training Squadron, has received the annual "Best of the Best" award from the Air Force Public Affairs Alumni Association. The annual award for 2007 recognizes the outstanding officer, civilian or enlisted person from all nominated band members, broadcasters and public affairs professionals based on professional excellence and significant contributions to the Air Force mission. The award includes a trophy and a $1,000 check. "The Air Force Public Affairs Alumni Association is made up of many of our public affairs luminaries and most of my mentors over the years -- these are my 'PA heroes,'" Colonel Thomas. "So this means an awful lot coming from a group I truly respect and who continue, many of them already long retired, to care about their Air Force enough to stay actively involved." Colonel Thomas, who served as director of the Air Force's national media outreach office in New York City, spent 16 years in the public affairs career field before assuming command of the Dark Knights in June. Prior to joining the Air Force in 1992, he was an award-winning civilian newspaper reporter. His previous assignments included chief of internal information at Langley Air Force Base, Va.; chief of public affairs at Hill AFB, Utah, and the Air Force Personnel Center, Ran-dolph AFB, Texas; public affairs staff officer at Pacific Air Forces headquarters, Hickam AFB, Hawaii; and instructor at the Defense Information School, Ft. Meade, Md. At DINFOS, he was the only instructor to teach each of 62 different courses, including journalism, public speaking and military public affairs. At Langley, his base newspaper was the best in the Air Force for two years and placed second in the Defense Department's media competition. At AFPC, his office was named the best small unit for 2003. He was also recognized as PACAF's top company grade public affairs officer. While in New York, his office won the Air Force's top award for media relations in 2006 and best public affairs issue management campaign in 2008. He was also recognized as the Air Force's top field grade public affairs officer earlier this year. Colonel Thomas deployed to Saudi Arabia, Panama, Iraq and Afghanistan on public affairs assignments. In Afghanistan, he served as spokesman for NATO's International Security Assist-ance Force in Kabul, where he spoke for its 37 member nations in live, taped and background interviews with international, radio, print and television outlets. He managed media interviews for the four-star NATO commander and organized media embeds with U.S. and NATO troops for CNN, Fox News, the New York Times and international news media. In Iraq, he ran media operations for the Coalition Pro-visional Authority in Baghdad, where he was involved with Saddam Hussein's first hearing and served as point man for the United Nations' Iraqi elections public information and operations effort. In 2005, he spent a month in Louisiana to set up the Federal Emergency Manage-ment Agency's 20-person national and international media operations center in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. "The Air Force gave me lots of those 'opportunities to excel' in 2007, but I never expected this honor," the colonel said. "It's humbling, really, because if anyone deserves recognition, it's the teammates I served with in Kabul and in New York City ... you certainly don't accomplish much by yourself in these fast-paced situations. I may be getting the credit, but they're the ones who deserve it. "I mean, think about it. I got a chance to serve in Kabul and New York City all in the same year! The opportunities in the Air Force are just amazing."