388th OSS award a win for Reservists, too Published April 22, 2009 By Bryan Magaña 419th Fighter Wing Public Affairs HILL AIR FORCE BASE, UT -- In a triumph for Total Force Integration, the 388th Fighter Wing's Operations Support Squadron was recently named the active duty wing's Squadron of the Year. 388th OSS personnel work side by side with their Reserve counterparts from the 419th Fighter Wing's Operations Support Flight daily, making it one of the most functionally integrated organizations in the two wings. "This is truly a success story for the 388th OSS, the 419th OSF, and for TFI in general," said Lt. Col. Chris Morgan, a full-time Reservist serving as Director of Operations for both the 388th OSS and the 419th OSF. As the first Reservist to work full-time in the OSS, Colonel Morgan had to strengthen relationships and be an example of the stability and experience Reservists bring to the fight. "TFI is not a slogan, you have to live it," Colonel Morgan. "We try to look beyond the command patches so we can create synergy, break down barriers, and build trust." The classic association has not been without its obstacles. But overcoming those obstacles is one of the reasons the 388th OSS earned Squadron of the Year. For Lt. Col. Jeremy Sloane, commander of the 388th OSS, the biggest challenge was developing an executable, sustainable flying hour program. "It's not perfect yet, but we've taken a giant step in the right direction," Colonel Sloane said. "This was only achieved due to the relationships we've focused on and built between ops and maintenance, as well as between the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings." "We had a vision of a long-term concentrated flying hour program that was equally built with maintenance and operations," Colonel Morgan said. "The combined flying hour program total budget is $10 million less than last year. It meets our needs better and it's not as reactionary." Colonel Sloane said the win is due also to solid Weapons and Tactics leadership, an achievable flying hour program and flying schedule, quality Aircrew Flight Equipment, and cutting-edge Intel support during a year when 25 percent of the squadron was deployed. The commander congratulated the men and women of the 388th OSS for a great year and a great attitude. Colonel Morgan had a similar sentiment for Reservists, adding that the two units are the epitome of what everybody wanted TFI to be.