Predicting success Published Sept. 28, 2006 By Valerie Mullett 341st Space Wing Public Affairs Office MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- "If you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes and it will change." We can all laugh when we hear that statement, knowing how true it generally is in Great Falls. But for the staff of the 341st Operations Support Squadron's Combat Weather Team, the weather is what keeps them going. And without them doing what they do best, the mission would be hampered. The weather flight has four main functions they must perform and the staff has incorporated others that help make them the award winners they are. Tasked with providing mission execution forecasts to the helicopter and maintenance squadrons as well as the operations group is their primary function. Supporting expeditionary Air Force requirements is the other. Two staff members were recently recognized by Air Force Space Command for exceeding standards in both arenas. Master Sgt. Troy Rames, NCOIC of the Combat Weather Team, was chosen as the winner of the Gardner Award. It recognizes individual leadership excellence by a senior noncommissioned officer in an Air Force weather unit that conducts aerospace weather operations. It is named after Chief Master Sgt. William Gardner, the first senior enlisted advisor for Air Weather Services. Sergeant Rames was deployed for 120 days of the award cycle period and it was during this time he shined brighest. "I am most proud of being able to secure some new equipment while I was deployed that will make it safer for aircraft to land because weather conditions can be watched and briefed more effectively," Sergeant Rames said. Another significant accomplishment he is proud of is a result of the equipment procurement -- preparing and briefing weather to the MEDEVAC crews, "more than 90 times that encompassed ferrying 144 coalition patients to safety during combat operations," according to his award nomination. "It was important for them to have the best tools possible to get out and get the injured and bring them back quickly and safely," he said. He is also credited with managing all of the weather activities for the only active Iraqi flying unit, creating a quality assurance program, overseeing 21 troops from four bases, volunteering as the redeployment manager, and numerous other weather-related improvements. While he was deployed, Tech. Sgt. Toby Grubbs stepped in to fill his shoes here at home, earning him nomination for the Pierce Award. Named after Maj. Gen. Russell K. Pierce, Jr., the 12th commander of the Air Weather Service, it recognizes the same qualities for an noncommissioned officer, as the Gardner Award did for the SNCO. "He reworked the entire master training plan we have for the weather flight," said 1st Lt. Brian Yates, weather combat team flight commander. "His forte is training." But for the 16-year weather veteran, he is most proud of his unit deployment manager accomplishments while stationed in Hawaii. "I would have to say my best overall accomplishment during the award period was deploying and recovering 44 personnel to support OIF/OEF operations," Sergeant Grubbs said. "And I agree, revamping and revitalizing the training program here, along with procuring top-of-the-line weather satellite software are key, too. These two items ensure the wing has the best weather support possible," he said. Some words used to describe him by others include skillful planner, spot-on leader, tenacious supervisor, expert manager, outstanding job performer and the list goes on. Having spent his entire career in weather and earning his bachelor's degree in meteorological technology, Sergeant Grubbs has gained the resepct of his peers as the best in the command at what he does. So while we can poke fun at the Montana weather, when it comes to professionalism, Malmstrom's forecasters are on the money