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Senior NCO inducted into AMC's Order of the Bayonet

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center Public Affairs
FORT DIX, N.J. --  With more than 20 security forces Airmen before him donning their "battle rattle" and M-4 rifles with bayonets, Master Sgt. Jason Parker was given a prestigious honor very few in his career field have ever received.

Sergeant Parker, currently assigned to the 92nd Security Forces Squadron at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., was inducted into the Defender class of the Air Mobility Command Order of the Bayonet Nov. 24 during a special ceremony in the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's Grace Peterson Hall.

The Order of the Bayonet was established in 1981 to recognize the accomplishments of those who have made significant contributions to the security and ground defense of air bases, regardless of their position or rank. This is the highest honor AMC security forces men and women can bestow upon a person.

"This is like the Heisman trophy for cops in the Air Force," said Col. Robert Dutterer of the AMC Security Forces Directorate at Scott AFB, Ill. "This is as huge as it gets. And, in this case, what makes it more important is here he is -- a senior master sergeant select -- getting it. The last four ceremonies I attended (for this award) were for colonels and chiefs."

Sergeant Parker's ascension to induction into the Order began with a nomination from his former leadership in the EC's Expeditionary Operations School. Sergeant Parker served in the school's 421st Combat Training Squadron until 2007 when he left for a one year deployment to Iraq.

After he was nominated, Colonel Dutterer said Sergeant Parker's submission package was reviewed by the AMC Chief's Council and formally approved by AMC's top security forces officer - Col. Lyle Cary. "The contributions that he's made, the training he's done for men and women deploying down range, the deployments he's done - all rolled up - shows he's the best of the best."

In the citation for his nomination, it states Sergeant Parker "is a leader among leaders" while assigned to the 421st CTS. During his tenure, Sergeant Parker created the Phoenix Warrior and Advanced Contingency Skills Training pre-deployment training courses that are in use today training thousands of Airmen for deployments.

With an "Air Force-wide reputation for excellence," the citation says Sergeant Parker was specially chosen as team leader for a Department of Defense initiative to prepare 60 international media personnel to embed with combat units during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He also led 23 Level II Antiterrorism Mobile Training Teams in support of six major commands training more than 800 antiterrorism officers and 42 agents from the National Security Agency.

In accepting the award and induction into the Order, Sergeant Parker said the award and induction to the Order is a representation of "great Airmen."

"Throughout my career, I've been blessed with quite a few opportunities," Sergeant Parker said. "I've been blessed to work with and for a lot of great supervisors and leaders. I've also had a lot of opportunity to work with a lot of great Airmen. This award, although it is being given to me and I'm being inducted into the Order, it really is an award for all of them. They really did all the work. They brought me up and raised me to be the senior NCO that I am today."

Following is the full citation for Master Sgt. Jason Parker's induction into the Air Mobility Command Order of the Bayonet:

"Master Sgt. Jason S. Parker is a leader among leaders and displayed superior support for the security and ground defense mission of Air Mobility Command and the United States Air Force while assigned to the 421st Combat Training Squadron, Fort Dix, N.J. During his tenure, Sergeant Parker created the Phoenix Warrior and Advanced Contingency Skills Training pre-deployment training courses that provided valuable ground combat training to over 8,000 Airmen across all Air Force specialties during 14 Phoenix Readiness and 34 Phoenix Raven training classes as well as 18 Air Force Chief of Staff-directed Eagle Flag employment exercises.

"With an Air Force-wide reputation for excellence, he was specially chosen as team leader for a Department of Defense initiative to prepare 60 international media personnel to embed with combat units during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and led 23 Level II Antiterrorism Mobile Training Teams in support of six major commands training more than 800 Antiterrorism Officers and 42 agents from the National Security Agency. He single-handedly established a training partnership with the Joint Special Operations University that enabled more than 200 cadre and expeditionary Airmen to acquire accreditation through video tele-instruction, saving more than $300,000 in travel costs.

"Sergeant Parker shaped Air Mobility Command and the Department of Defense by planning and executing the first-ever exercise of the new Nuclear Weapons Security Standard in a Department of Defense Nuclear Surety Inspection. His denial/recapture template was benchmarked by nuclear units in the DOD which was subsequently published in the Inspector General Brief. A renowned subject matter expert, Sergeant Parker deployed to Iraq to perform a formal ground assessment of current enemy tactics, techniques, and procedures and validate security forces pre-deployment training. His findings proved critical to enable the Air Force Security Forces Center to create 26 core lesson plans designed to standardize security forces and military working dog pre-deployment training.

"As a combat tactics evaluator during the 2005 Air Mobility Command Rodeo competition, Sergeant Parker's superior leadership and expertise in air base defense techniques directly contributed to the successful launching of 42 aircraft flown in support of 163 competition sorties. Over 900 competitors and international observers from 25 United States military bases and 15 nations competed in an array of air mobility operational skills to include aerial refueling, medical evacuation, security, combat loading and landings.

"Sergeant Parker's stellar leadership and tireless efforts contributed immensely to preparing America's Airmen to secure air bases around the globe to counter asymmetric threats. In recognition of his distinguished efforts and proven commitment above all others, the security forces men and women of Air Mobility Command salute Master Sgt. Jason S. Parker by bestowing upon him our highest symbol of honor: 'The Order of the Bayonet.'"