UTANG Airman and unit receive Air Force-level awards

  • Published
  • By Capt Brandon Smith
  • 101st IOF
1st Lt. Jesse Reeves and the 101st Information Operations Flight have been recognized for their outstanding contributions within the Air Force Information Operations community by being awarded Air Force Information Operations Awards.

Lieutenant Reeves has been selected as the Outstanding Air Reserve Component Information Operations Company Grade Officer for 2009, and the 101st IOF was selected as the Outstanding Information Operations Unit/Squadron of the Year - Air Reserve Component - for 2009.

These awards are given annually to recognize the most outstanding military and civilian Airmen of various AFSCs, as well as squadrons and teams, who contributed to the Air Force and joint information operations missions.

Lieutenant Reeves joined the 101st IOF after he completed his master's degree in nuclear engineering and has put his education to good use in the Air Guard. Among the reasons cited for Lieutenant Reeves receiving the award was the groundbreaking Information Operations predictive analysis tool which he conceived and developed over a 12-month period of time.

The predictive analysis tool is particularly useful to the U.S. and Canadian units who are charged with monitoring and protecting North American airspace. Using the predictive analysis tool, he was able to successfully predict Russian Long Range Aviation (LRA) missions into the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone.

When asked how his experience in the 101st IOF has compared to his expectations when he originally joined the unit 1st Lt. Reeves explained, "It has required a much broader mindset and ability to adapt to changing environments than I thought it would. This job is not scripted. There's always a new problem that requires we look at things in a new way."

Lt. Col. Kevin Nuccitelli, 101st IOF commander, is pleased to have such quality Airmen like Lieutenant Reeves in the unit.

"Lieutenant Reeves brings a unique perspective to the 101st IOF. He approaches issues from a scientific frame of mind that logically and systematically solves whatever the task at hand is. He is one of many outstanding performers we have in the 101st IOF, and I'm very happy that all their efforts have received recognition at the highest Air Force levels," Colonel Nuccitelli said.

The 101st IOF received the unit award for recognizing the rapidly-expanding potential of Social Media technologies to act as a public communications tool. In the absence of DoD SM guidance, the 101st IOF spearheaded the creation of the first SM Concept of Operations for a Numbered Air Force, providing the 1st Air Force commander the ability to dynamically adjust themes and messages to suit public discourse. The unit was also recognized for its Mission Qualification Training program which was identified by Air Combat Command as the "best of breed."

The 101st IOF provides Information Operations support to the 601st Air and Space Operations Center and the 1st Air Force in their respective missions to keep the skies over the continental United States and North America safe.

Lieutenant Reeves is the third member of the 101st IOF who has received an Air Force Information Operations Award. Previous 101st IOF unit members to receive an AFIO award were Lt. Col. Mary Enges and Maj. Mark Farmer.