Air Force Featured Stories

Kadena fuels flight powers through to earn API award

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Shayne Somavia
The 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan, recently won the prestigious American Petroleum Institute award.

The annual API award, which has been around for 50 years, honors the top active-duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve fuels management flight in recognition of their outstanding contributions, commitment to excellence and dedication to the warfighter mission.

Everything within the fuels management flight was examined closely and evaluators and personnel evaluations were the foundation of the site visits, which gave units the ability to personally demonstrate their mettle during the API evaluation as the team witnessed firsthand the significant accomplishments and support of and by each fuels Airmen.

Today, the determination and persistence to be named the Air Force's API award winner is as significant and relevant as it was a half century ago. This year's finalists were identified after their award packages were evaluated by the API board. Besides the 18th LRS, the other two finalists were fuels management flights from the 96th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and the 52nd Logistics Readiness Squadron at Spangdahlem AB, Germany.

These units met API's virtual evaluation board in April to articulate and demonstrate their achievements, contributions to the Air Force mission and their technical knowledge. While all competitors performed remarkably well, it was the fuels management flight from Kadena AB that captured the title of API's "golden anniversary" recipient.