For exceptionally meritorious service while assigned as 1st Cavalry Division Staff Weather Officer, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 13th Expeditionary Combat Weather Squadron, Zagan, Poland from 13 May 2021 to 20 July 2021. During this period, Staff Sergeant Donald Sutherland oversaw the production of 800 mission weather products supporting the execution of 14 Brigade and Battalion exercises and provided resource protection for six billion dollars in Department of Defense assets. Additionally, he led 78 joint weather coordination meetings directly supporting the Brigade's redeployment efforts, advising key leaders on weather trends to maximize productivity and safety across a 279,000 square mile Area of Operation. Further, he established the first observing sensor on Zagan Garrison to aid in resource protection capabilities for future weather personnel supporting operations in the region. Finally, Sergeant Sutherland helped his Air Force counterparts integrate with the Army in a Brigade Spur Ride during which the team seized first place. Staff Sergeant Sutherland's sterling accomplishments and dedication to duty are in keeping with the finest traditions of the Army and reflect great credit upon himself, the 13th Expeditionary Combat Weather Squadron and the United States Army.
Meritorious service while assigned as Brigade Combat Team Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge, Detachment Two, 18th Combat Weather Squadron, Fort Polk Army Installation, Louisiana, from July 2017 to August 2020. During this period Sergeant Dey's outstanding leadership and attention to detail were instrumental in overseeing weather operations for the 3/10 Brigade Combat Team, the Joint Readiness Training Center, and Fort Polk. An indispensable asset to the ACC and FORSCOM commanders, his efforts maximized joint training and reduced fiscal waste, saving the Air Force and the Army over $44,000 annually in the weather budget. In addition, Sergeant Dey managed the support for 40 unit training rotations into the Joint Readiness Training Center, facilitating over a thousand red air sorties which provided key deployment training for over 180,000 Soldiers. Finally, he codified weather support procedures for both garrison and training operations, unifying the support documentation for the 3/10 Brigade Combat Team, the Joint Readiness Training Center, and Fort Polk. Sergeant Dey's relentless efforts and dedication to duty are in keeping with the finest traditions of the Army and reflect great credit upon himself, the 18th Air Support Operations Group and the United States Army.
Staff Sergeant Escobar A. Desoto distinguished himself by outstanding achievement as Weather Air Advisor, 442nd Air Expeditionary Squadron, Air Force Central Command, Qayyarah West, Iraq. While deployed in support of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, Sergeant Desoto issued 1,400 weather observations and 155 Watches, Warnings, and Advisories, enabling 491 missions, 2,300 small Unmanned Aerial System flight hours and the transfer of 933 passengers as well as 203 tons of cargo. Sergeant Desoto also organized the Arabic translation of the Preventive Maintenance Inspection checklist, which streamlined the process by 75 percent. Additionally, he co-led the Weather Air and Advise training that executed 715 hours of training for four host nation personnel, resulting in the first ever host nation-controlled airfield and the team of the month award. Moreover, Sergeant Desoto demonstrated his expertise while forward deployed in support of an Air and Advise mission by resetting and relocating a 630,000 dollar Automated Weather Operating System. This relocation established data for the airfield and synced the Iraqi Army Air Corps with the Coalition Forces operations. Finally, he supported the relocation of the Precision Threat Detection System by identifying a one-hour weather window 72 hours prior to the move, securing the fifty million dollar asset and mitigating the vulnerability of the base. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Desoto reflect credit upon himself, the 442nd Air Expeditionary Squadron and the United States Air Force.
