[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 4486]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                   RECOGNIZING THE 188TH FIGHTER WING

 Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, today I honor the men and women of 
the 188th Fighter Wing for their dedication, perseverance and 
commitment to excellence.
  The 188th--based in Fort Smith, AR--recently received the Air Force 
Outstanding Unit Award, AFOUA, for their accomplishments over a 2-year 
period, beginning in October 2008 and concluding in September 2010.
  During that time, the 188th logged over 2,700 combat hours while 
staged in Kandahar, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring 
Freedom. During the award period, the 188th also deployed 141 members 
for Expeditionary Combat Support for Operations Enduring Freedom and 
Iraqi Freedom as well as other contingency operations worldwide. The 
unit had an exceptional score on their Air Combat Command Unit 
Compliance Inspection in 2009, acing 534 of 537 inspected areas.
  Perhaps the most amazing and inspiring part of this story was that 
just a few years ago, the 188th was slated to lose its flying mission. 
The 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission, BRAC, 
recommended that the 188th be stripped of its flying mission and of 
their F-16 Falcons. The community rallied, and instead of losing its 
flying mission, the 188th earned a new one--the Flying Razorbacks 
emblem now emblazons A-10 Thunderbolt II Warthogs.
  The unit quickly transitioned to the A-10s, beginning in 2007, before 
deploying approximately 300 Airmen and 6 of its Warthogs for an Air 
Expeditionary Forces rotation to Kandahar in 2010. The 188th never 
missed a mission tasking while in Kandahar.
  The AFOUA recognizes the extent of the challenges the men and women 
of the 188th overcame in the past few years. The 188th Fighter Wing 
truly is a Phoenix that rose from the ashes.
  Authorized by Department of the Air Force General Order 1, January 6, 
1954, the AFOURA is awarded by the Secretary of the Air Force to 
numbered units that have distinguished themselves by exceptionally 
meritorious service or outstanding achievement that clearly sets the 
unit above and apart from similar units.
  Mr. President, the 188th not only met the criteria for the AFOUA but 
eclipsed it. As a Senator, and a Fort Smith-native, words cannot say 
how proud I am of the members of the 188th for their accomplishments. 
Nor are words enough to express how grateful I am, as an American, for 
their service. We thank them, and all our servicemen and women, for 
their sacrifice and efforts on our behalf.

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