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AFSOC commander nominated for Order of the Sword

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Michelle Vickers
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  Enlisted Air Commandos lined the flightline here to surprise Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel, Air Force Special Operations Command commander, on his Order of the Sword nomination Dec. 13.

Fiel leads approximately 16,000 active-duty, Reserve, Air National Guard and civilian professionals.

The Order of the Sword is the highest honor the enlisted force can grant an individual.

"I know I cannot do my job without the enlisted folks," Fiel said. "Everything we do, we try to do for you guys. [The Airmen here] have the highest ops tempo in the United States Air Force and you never say no."

Fiel will become the ninth inductee into AFSOC's Order of the Sword.

"The Order of the Sword was established by the Air Force to recognize and honor military senior officers, colonels and above, and civilian equivalents, for conspicuous and significant contributions to the welfare and prestige of the Air Force enlisted force, mission effectiveness as well as the overall military establishment," according to Air Force Instruction 36-2824.

The AFSOC Order of the Sword induction ceremony is slated for April 18.