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Brig. Gen. Gorenc best in Air Combat Command
Blackanthem
Military News,
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq, July 09, 2006
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"Give 'er the gun," shouts Brig. Gen. Frank Gorenc with his fist in
the air while singing the Air Force song during the wing change of
command ceremony here, July 5. Lt. Gen. Gary North, U.S. Central
Command Air Forces commander (left) officiated the passing of the
332d Air Expeditionary Wing flag to Brig. Gen. Robin Rand and
announced that General Gorenc received the Moller Award as the most
outstanding commander in Air Combat Command for his year of service
in Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tony Tolley) |
Before Brig. Gen. Frank Gorenc
relinquished command of the 332d Air Expeditionary Wing here July 5, he
found that his bittersweet day had an unexpected extra.
During the ceremony's opening, Lt. Gen. Gary North, commander of U.S.
Central Command Air Forces, announced that General Gorenc had won the
Joseph A. Moller Award.
"No commander has done it better," General North said. "That is why he
was selected as the most outstanding wing commander in Air Combat
Command."
The award recognized General Gorenc's leadership of the only Air Force
wing in Iraq. He was responsible for about 21,000 Airmen who deployed
through four Air Expeditionary Force rotations at five air bases in
Iraq. This included Balad's single-runway operations which are the
busiest in DOD and second only in the world to London's Heathrow
International Airport.
During his year-long tour, the general ensured the success of 11,000
combat sorties which included 80,000 flying hours. More than 220,000
passengers and 117,000 short tons of cargo flew through the air bases
under his command. He commanded the largest Predator Unmanned Aerial
Vehicle operation in the world, and the first and only C-130 cargo
squadron forward-based in a combat zone.
The 332d AEW has two F-16 squadrons which fly close air support missions
and delivered more than 230 precision-guided bombs, 35 Hellfire
missiles, 180 rockets and about 4,000 rounds of 20 mm cannon fire in
support of coalition ground operations during the general's tenure.
Besides the flying mission, General Gorenc provided support to Airmen at
58 bases serving in Army and Marine roles such as Air Force "gun
truckers" who rode shotgun on more than 5,000 convoys for more than 4
million miles.
Awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the general was recognized in the
citation for increasing the survival rate for trauma patients to
96-percent - the highest in military medical history - for those
admitted to the Air Force Theater Hospital, the busiest medical facility
in Iraq.
General Gorenc passed the 332d AEW flag and command responsibilities to
Brig. Gen. Robin Rand, previously assigned at the 56th Fighter Wing,
Luke AFB, Ariz.
"It is not easy for me to see General Gorenc leave," said General North
who officiated the ceremony.
"I know you are extremely proud of the Red Tails during your tenure of
leadership here," said General North to General Gorenc. "It is clear
that the enemy knows who the Red Tails are."
The 332 AEW draws its heritage from the famous Tuskegee Airman of WWII
who flew P-51 Mustang fighters with red painted vertical stabilizers.
By Lt. Col. Bob Thompson
332d Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
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