HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Air Force Materiel Command announced last month that the 66th Security Forces Squadron here is the command’s best Outstanding Small Size Security Forces Unit for 2019.
The command win for SFS is the fifth in a row. The unit will now compete for best small-sized squadron in the Air Force, an award they won in 2015.
“This honor was earned by our Defenders’ enduring commitment to change and the grit to see it through,” said Maj. Shane Watts, 66 SFS commander.
Among the achievements highlighted in the citation, 66 SFS assisted Air Force-level security forces personnel with conceptualizing the Defense Force Squadron of the Future.
“These efforts force-optimized our manpower, resulting in sustainable eight-hour shifts, providing 48 extra training hours a month and included a Security Forces first, protected time off,” said Chief Master Sgt. Michael Daly, SFS superintendent.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein commissioned this idea under the Year of the Defender initiative last year to focus on training, readiness, modernizing the force enterprise-wide and improving quality of life with eight-hour shifts.
Headquarters Air Force benchmarked this concept, and appointed the Hanscom squadron to guide the implementation to 12 test units across seven major commands.
The citation also lauded squadron personnel for other achievements, such as command-level quarterly and annual awards and a military working dog section that supported several senior government leader visits to the six-state New England region.
"The squadron's success is indicative of the high-caliber of individuals and teams we have assigned," said Daly.