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Omaha Trophy returns to Buckley AFB

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Holden S. Faul

Gen. John E. Hyten, U.S. Strategic Command commander, visited Buckley Air Force Base to present the Omaha Trophy, recognize Airmen and toured the Space-based Infrared System mission May 9, 2018.

For the second time in three years, the 460th Space Wing has been awarded the Omaha Trophy for its excellence in global operations and for maintaining a critical role with USSTRATCOM’s priority mission, nuclear command, control and communications.

The 460th Space Wing was one of five organizations to achieve this accomplishment in 2017. The winning organizations are selected based on formal evaluations, meritorious achievement, safety, community involvement, humanitarian actions and other criteria.

“Last year, the 460th Space Wing reported 521 missile launches and over 30,000 more reports that directly assisted warfighters,” said Hyten. “Your ability to do it right every single time, without doubt and without any mistakes allows me to sit in front of the Secretary of Defense, confidently telling him that any missile launched will be detected from this wing. Fifty years ago, people would’ve said your job is impossible.”

The Omaha Trophy, which dates back to the U.S. Air Force's Strategic Air Command, was originally created by the Strategic Command Consultation (SCC) Committee in 1971. At the time, a single trophy was presented annually as a token of appreciation to the command's best wing. The strategic space and information operations field was added in 2003 but soon became the cyberspace and global operations categories a few years later.

Steven Martin, Strategic Command Consultation Committee member and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska chief executive officer presented the Omaha Trophy to Team Buckley leadership, on behalf of the Omaha, Nebraska citizens, during a ceremony held at the Buckley Fitness Center.

The achievement of the Omaha Trophy by the 460th Space Wing demonstrates the wing’s importance and excellence at deterring and preventing strategic attacks against the U.S. and its allies.

“This year’s Omaha Trophy winners demonstrated the highest levels of excellence in support of our global warfighting command,” said Hyten.