552nd sergeant named 12th AF senior NCO of the year

by John Parker
Tinker Public Affairs

4/20/2015 - TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- A senior master sergeant with the 552nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron was recently named the 12th Air Force's Senior Noncommissioned Officer Outstanding Professional of the Year.

Senior Master Sgt. William "Troy" Barber, an E-3 AWACS Aircraft Maintenance Unit assistant superintendent when he was nominated in 2014, received the award for superior leadership, job performance and community involvement.

Col. Brian Humphrey, 552nd ACW vice commander, said the "hard work, professionalism and dedication shown by Senior Master Sgt. Barber is a reflection of the outstanding support received from his troops and chain of command. Congratulations on this tremendous award."

Sergeant Barber will now represent the 552nd ACW and the 12th Air Force (AFSOUTH) in the Air Combat Command level of the service award.

Sergeant Barber is deployed in  support of Operation Inherent Resolve as the Sentry Aircraft Maintenance Unit superintendent. He said it is a privilege to help lead men and women of the 552nd Maintenance Group in their support of the operation over Iraq and Syria.

In the award nomination, Sergeant Barber was credited for superb leadership of 270 Airmen and managing 14 E-3 aircraft that generated 2,000 sorties, including missions that obliterated enemy targets in Operation Inherent Resolve.

Among other achievements, he was a finalist for the 12th Air Force Gen. Lew Allen Jr. Trophy, awarded annually for outstanding SNCO contributions to sortie generation.

"Receiving the award and representing the 552nd ACW at the command level is an honor," Sergeant Barber said. "A citation or award tells a story. The story that will be told to Air Combat Command is the accomplishments at home and in the deployed environment of the Airmen of the 552nd MXG.

The 552nd Maintenance Group directs logistics support of 28 E-3 Sentry aircraft valued at $8.4 billion, flying approximately 14,500 hours from numerous locations worldwide.

"I was fortunate enough to be put in a position to be at the throttles to lead them through an extraordinary year," he added. "This citation isn't about me. It's about my team."

The 552nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron provides sortie generation capability and extensive equipment maintenance support for worldwide deployment.