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AFMOA awarded Meritorious Unit Award

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Anthony Soto
  • Air Force Medical Operations Agency
WASHINGTON --  The Air Force Medical Operations Agency (AFMOA), formerly known as the Air Force Medical Support Agency (AFMSA) has been awarded the Meritorious Unit Award (MUA).

The inclusive dates for the award period cover Sept. 1, 2003 through Jan. 23, 2006.

During this period, the agency significantly supported and maintained combat-ready forces by developing a scalable Expeditionary Blood Transshipment System. This system produced a five-fold increase in contingency blood support for U.S. Central Command operations while maintaining all in-garrison blood support.

The knowledge and technical skills of the agency's personnel led to development of the Brain Acoustic Monitor, which significantly reduced the mortality rate of brain-injured patients in theater by providing a non-invasive, portable assessment of brain function during transport.

The expeditionary capability of the Air Force Medical Support Agency directly supported combat mission objectives. Agency personnel ensured in-theater health and safety regulatory requirements were met so Red Horse teams could use radioactive material for runway repairs. They conducted laser system reviews, which allowed operational fielding of command pointers and target designators.

Their hazard assessments of countermeasure systems for Man Portable Air Defense threats assured protection of large aircraft. AFMOA is the first and only Field Operating Agency to have been awarded the MUA, according to the U.S. Central Command Air Forces Decoration Processing Unit website. AFMOA is the only FOA listed as having received the MUA. This award was created and approved by the secretary of the Air Force in March 2004.

According to written guidelines from the Air Force Personnel Center the MUA is: "awarded to Air Force Active Duty, Reserve, and Guard units for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding achievement or service in direct support of combat operations for at least 90 continuous days during the period of military operations against an armed enemy of the United States on or after 11 September 2001. The unit must display such outstanding devotion and superior performance of exceptionally difficult tasks as to set it apart and above other units with similar missions.

The degree of achievement required is the same as that which would warrant award of the Legion of Merit. Superior performance of normal mission will not alone justify award of the MUA."