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Airman receives only IG Coin during ORI

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Vincent A. Mouzon
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  The inspector general carried only one coin to hand out to the best of Shaw's Airmen. 

Senior Airman Mary Wheeler, 20th Operational Support Squadron intelligence analyst, received that coin during the Operational Readiness Inspection. 

ORIs are conducted to evaluate the ability of units with a wartime or contingency mission to perform assigned operational missions. 

Brig. Gen. Mark Barrett, Air Combat Command inspector general, presented the coin to Airman Wheeler in front of base leadership, 79th Fighter Squadron pilots and other intelligence Airmen from her section. 

"The IG coined me specifically for a pre-mission briefing that the intel inspector witnessed," said Senior Airman Wheeler. "I was only doing my job, which was to provide up-to-date and applicable information to our pilots prior to them taking the fight to the enemy. It was the result of a lot of hard work from all the 20th FW intel personnel and I am proud to have accepted this award for our team." 

Each day the intelligence section is required to give two pre-mission briefings that tell the pilots what they are required to do and threats during their upcoming missions. This pre-mission briefing is the culmination of a lot of analysis and editing in order to make sure the pilots get the most up-to-date and applicable information. 

"Not many outside of our own pilots ever get to see what we do," said Airman Wheeler. "This award was a win for all of us. Being squadron intel is definitely a joint effort. We depend on each other in each squadron as well as between the squadrons. This coin is just an example of how hard work does not go un-noticed. Even when you work in a building that very few people can get into." 

"Senior Airman Wheeler is very dedicated to the mission, always putting in that extra effort to make sure everything is perfect," said Staff Sgt. Michael Wallace, Airman Wheeler's supervisor. "She kept herself knowledgeable of all the information our pilots needed for the ORI."