ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga., Nov. 24, 2010 – The 116th Air Control Wing earned an "excellent" rating in its recent Operational Readiness Inspection, which focused on the wing's ability to rapidly recall all personnel and prepare for long-term deployment.

"The wing absolutely hit the ball out of the park," said Col. Jeffery Herd, 116th commander. "We are very proud of each and every one of you."

The 116th is home to 17 E-8C Joint STARS aircraft, which provide the world's most advanced wide-area ground surveillance, targeting and battle management system. E-8C Joint STARS crews can detect, locate, classify, track and target enemy ground movement and securely relay the information to all military forces.

A unit can receive one of five possible grades in an ORI: unsatisfactory, marginal, satisfactory, excellent and outstanding.

Col. Leonard Moskal, chief of the Air Combat Command Inspector General evaluation team, called the 116th "the best heavy wing I have ever evaluated."

Moskal's team from Langley Air Force Base, Va., arrived Nov. 12 and announced the inspection results Nov. 17.

By Wayne Crenshaw
78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs