Vance QAE wins command-level award

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Mary Davis
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Richard Smith has only been at Vance Air Force Base for a year and a half, but he's been on the job for more than 24 years. Mr. Smith used his vast Air Force skills and experience to garner the 2006 Air Education and Training Command Fuels Civilian Leader of the Year Award. 

As a quality assurance evaluator for Vance AFB's fuel contract, Mr. Smith assessed and documented the fuel contractor's performance based on the contract's statement of work and all applicable directives. He also evaluated refueling aircraft, receiving fuel into bulk storage tanks, gathering of lab samples and preventative maintenance on all fueling equipment. 

Mr. Smith, formerly Senior Master Sgt. Smith, spent more than 20 years working in the fuels career field before his retirement from active duty Sept. 1, 2005. 

"My biggest challenge was throttling back from being a fuel's manager on active duty and running a flight of more than 80 Airmen to basically watching and evaluating," he said. 

Last year, Mr. Smith ensured the safe delivery of more than 11 million gallons of JP-8 aircraft fuel to facilitate 41,000 sorties. He also revamped several systems, clarified technical data and resolved critical errors so the fuel could flow and aircraft training could run smoothly. 

Although he was lauded for his many accomplishments, Mr. Smith said it was not about one individual. 

"It is about a team that works together in cooperation with one another," he said. The team he was referring to was his fellow quality assurance evaluators, fuels contractor personnel to include Civil Engineering's liquid fuels maintenance and Transportation's refueling maintenance people. 

"Together, we formed a team that ensured fuel was accounted for, it was within all specifications and it was delivered to the aircraft in a safe and timely manner," he said.

Master Sgt. Andres Maldonado, senior supply quality assurance evaluator with the 71st Logistics Readiness Squadron, knew how important Mr. Smith's contribution to the mission was. 

"He is an invaluable asset to the squadron, and his actions directly contributed to the success of the wing's training mission," Sergeant Maldonado said. "Rick Smith epitomizes the squadron motto, 'There's no success without LRS!'" 

The award is great kudos for his hard work, but Mr. Smith said the most rewarding part of his job isn't winning awards; it is the opportunity to continue serving his country. 

"Retiring from active duty for some of us can be a bit difficult. While it had been tough to take off the uniform, it has been very rewarding to still be a part of the Air Force, work on an Air Force base and in the fuels career field."