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Officer wins AF ATC award

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Kristina Newton
  • 1st SOW Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  An officer with the 1st Special Operations Support Squadron was named as the winner of an Air Force Airfield Operations award in an announcement made by Air Force officials June 13. 

Capt. Derek Molloy, the airfield operations flight commander, won the 2006 Col. Derrel L. Dempsey Officer of the Year Award. 

Captain Molloy oversees the base's airfield management and air traffic control facilities.
"The airfield especially is a very dynamic place. We have a lot going on, and we tie in the operational aspect with all of the projects on the airfield to make sure the mission is not affected," Captain Molloy said. 

Receiving recognition for his accomplishments is nothing new for Captain Molloy. He was recently recognized as a Wing Company Grade Officer of the Quarter and Group Professional Performer of the Year. 

But he said this award is about as big as it gets for air traffic control. 

"This award validates what his supervisors and subordinates have thought all along," said Lt. Col. William West, 1st Special Operations Support Squadron commander. "He is at the top of his career field whether in garrison or in the combat zone." 

Captain Molloy said he was a bit surprised by his selection but attributes his success to the unique operations he gets to be a part of as manager of the airfield here and some great accomplishments during a deployment to Iraq last year. 

"We accomplished a lot in Kirkuk," he said. "We worked very closely with Erbil International Airport to try and get regularly scheduled state sponsored service into that airfield. 

"For a state sponsored airline to fly into Iraq and land at an airfield is a big deal; they won't land just anywhere," he said. "The airfield has to be up to Western standards. That especially was a big accomplishment." 

Captain Molloy was an enlisted air traffic controller for twelve years before becoming an officer and was very happy to get back in the tower on his recent deployment to Kirkuk. 

"I did get my ATC ratings in radar, but it was hard. I haven't talked to an airplane in six years, so it was humbling to be back there." 

The award was named for Col. Dempsey in 1995 in recognition of his great contributions to airfield management and air traffic control.