Three 512th Airlift Wing reservists bestowed 948th honor

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Veronica Aceveda
  • 512th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  The 948th Security Forces Squadron may not be an actual squadron here on base, but the 948th Security Forces Award is a real honor bestowed here annually to deserving security forces Airmen. 

Three reservists and two active duty members were recognized with the honor Feb. 2 in the Team Dover guard mount room. They are Staff Sgt. Maria Cordova, Senior Airmen Nathan Foose and Willie Johnson II from the 512th Security Forces Squadron and Tech. Sgt. Eric Marquis and John McCain from the 436th Security Forces Squadron. 

"The name of the award is a symbolic gesture, which embodies the unified security effort here at Dover," said Chief Master Sgt. William T. Wild III, 512th SFS security forces manager and a unit member for 22 years. 

The 948th name is derived from adding the 512th and 436th prefixes together.
"This program was created around 9/11, when (the 512th Security Forces Squadron) began mass activations to provide home-station support," said the chief who served a little more than a year during this time frame. "It's important to acknowledge the contributions of our Airmen working side-by-side, contributing to the war effort." 

Recipients of this award are hand-picked by senior leadership from both of the base's security squadrons. 

"Some of the criteria we try to use is what the member did in support of both security arenas," said Senior Master Sgt. Ron McCoy, 512th SFS superintendent. 

This year's selectees were chosen in part for having volunteered to serve on active-duty orders and for having volunteered in various arenas where needed such as in the armory or in flight operations, Sergeant McCoy said. Each honoree received a certificate signed by both wing's commanders and each of the Airmen were coined by their counterpart's SFS commander. 

"It's another way to strengthen the bond between the two units, and it's recognition well deserved," said Chief Wild.