Senior NCO goes back to school and earns ACE award Published Aug. 29, 2012 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Master Sgt. Larry Freligh received the ACE award Aug. 30th during a graduation ceremony for the 361st Training Squadron's aircraft fuel systems apprentice course. The ACE award is the highest academic honor a student can receive and is earned for exceptional performance by maintaining a perfect 100% average through the entire course. The aircraft fuel systems apprentice course is 36 training days long and covers maintenance fundamentals, aircraft fuel systems operations, fuel tank entry, fuel cell familiarization and integral fuel tanks. Upon completion of the course, the graduate is able to remove, repair, inspect, install, and modify aircraft fuel systems including integral fuel tanks, bladder cells and external tanks. Freligh is assigned to the 187th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Dannelly Field (Air National Guard) in Montgomery, Alabama.