Air Force Global Strike Command announces Sijan award nominees

  • Published
  • By Valerie Mullett
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs Office
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  The 341st Missile Wing Commander Col. Anthony Cotton announced Nov. 1 that two Airmen assigned to Malmstrom were Air Force Global Strike Command's nominees for the United States Air Force's 2010 Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award.

This award recognizes the accomplishments of officers and enlisted members who have demonstrated the highest degree of leadership in the performance of their duties and in their personal lives.

The two named as AFGSC's winners were Capt. Garland Wilmoth, 341st Missile Security Forces Squadron Operations Officer as the junior officer category winner and Lt. Col. Lloyd Buzzell, 341st Operations Support Squadron commander as the senior officer category winner.

"I am very proud of the accomplishments of both Capt. Wilmoth and Lt. Col. Buzzell," said Col. Anthony Cotton, 341st Missile Wing commander. "Their contributions to Wing One and to this community have set the standard and speak volumes of their continued dedication to our mission."

Captain Wilmoth led a combined force of 226 Security Forces and Coalition partners responsible for securing the largest pedestrian entry control point in the Afghan combat zone; processing three quarters of a million local nationals without a single unauthorized entry. He led the combat support element for two joint operations with the 82nd Airborne Division, seizing 195 command critical items and disposing of an enemy cache of 256 weapons. Also while deployed, he planned and executed operations with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations leading to the capture of two high-value enemy combatants, removing significant threats to coalition forces operating in the area.

At Malmstrom, Captain Wilmoth is second in command of a 434-person security forces squadron, the largest on the installation, where he has successfully architected the Security Forces Group launch facility recapture training, directed the training and employment of more than 350 defenders, and ensured more than 400 personnel benefited from his experience with improved live-fire convoy training.

Colonel Buzzell's leadership directly led to "excellent" ratings in two recent inspections. His guidance and experience led the 341st Operation Support Squadron's win of the 2009 McAdoo Award for the best operations support squadron with an ICBM mission. His initiative enabled the wing to earn the Williams Award for the best wing with an ICBM mission and the Omaha Trophy for the best wing with the ICBM mission.

Some of Colonel Buzzell's specific accomplishments include being number one in targeting, coding and PSRE life extension efforts; commanding the number one Emergency War Order flight, codes quality assurance, chef and facility manager training center, and instructor proficiency; and managing $1.2B in resources.

The Lance P. Sijan Award was first presented in 1981 to recognize individuals who have demonstrated the highest qualities of leadership in their jobs and in their lives. It has become one of the U.S. Air Force's most prestigious awards. It is named for an Air Force Academy graduate who died while a POW in Vietnam. Prior to his capture, the captain evaded the North Vietnamese for six weeks after being shot down in November 1967. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Good luck to both individuals as they continue to compete for the award at the Air Force level.