COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – -- The 14th Flying Training Wing was recently awarded an Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award for the period of 1 July 2021 through 30 June 2023.
The award is effective for personnel assigned to Columbus Air Force Base and recognizes the significant accomplishments of the 14 FTW, assigned units and collective contributions of individuals.
“Receiving the Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award reflects the incredible teamwork, innovation and leadership that define the 14th Flying Training Wing,” said Col. Jon Cato, 14 FTW deputy commander. “Our airmen have consistently delivered exceptional results -- from training world class pilots to advancing new technologies and resource management practices. I am incredibly proud of their accomplishments, and this award is a direct result of their passion and dedication to our mission.”
During this award period, the 14 FTW executed over 149,000 flight hours, 104,000 sorties and graduated over 762 new Air Force pilots, while setting a new Air Education and Training Command standard as the number one pilot producing wing. The Flying Hour Program is valued at over $372 million dollars and is maintained by the collective efforts of the entire 14 FTW.
In addition to the large-scale pilot training mission, CAFB hosted the 2022 Wings Over Columbus Airshow and the return of the largest STEM Expo for students within the Golden Triangle Region. Units and personnel came together to support the event through extensive strategic planning, careful stewardship of the $500,000 dollar budget and seamless coordination with over 75 local and national agencies to provide a safe and entertaining event showcasing military aviation and careers with the U. S. Air Force.
Team 14 sought out new innovations in pilot training technologies and resource management to improve efficiency, such as onboarding the Accelerated Path to Wings program eight months ahead of the 19th Air Force anticipated timeline resulting in a 35% boost to Undergraduate Pilot Training 2.5 operations.
Through their dedicated efforts, the 14th Comptroller Squadron set the bar for other peer units and secured the 2022 Air Education and Training Command awards for Company Grade Officer of the Year, Financial Manager of the Year, Senior Non-commissioned Officer Financial Manager of the Year and the Strategic Air Force Non-commissioned Officer of the Year. The unit played a vital role in executing the wing mission budget of over $490 million dollars.
The 14th Medical Group drove Air Force-wide policy change with three new medications added to the Approved Aircrew Medication list, reducing flyer downtime by 80% and reducing patient wait times by 20% for 8,300 appointments with 80% of visits available in less than 24 hours.
The 14 FTW also contributed to Southern Strike 2023 as the sole Combat Air Forces asset for 10 joint agencies, four countries and over 2,000 participants, enabling deployment preparation for over 100 joint and international special forces personnel.
The economic impact of CAFB to the surrounding communities was valued at over $900 million dollars through direct payroll, annual expenditures and indirect jobs.
These accomplishments highlight a portion of the overall contributions from the units and personnel that continue to support the wing mission to Train World Class Pilots.