366th Training Squadron commander earns Bronze Star

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Adawn Kelsey
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Lt. Col. Mark Sloan didn't deploy with hopes of winning awards or earning medals. But his actions as 380th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron commander from May 2008 to May 2009 did just that. 

Colonel Sloan, 366th Training Squadron Commander, was awarded the Bronze Star May 12. 

"As a commander, you are always motivated to squeeze the most out of your resources as you can. Amongst the challenges of operating in the Middle Eastern environment, it presented a lot of challenges with base pass issues, getting contractors on the base and getting things to line up. Engineering in the Middle East was a big challenge," the colonel said. 

"I had a great boss that really wanted to make sure that the combat support side of things was acknowledged. We kept the air base up and operational so that way the missions could fly," Colonel Sloan said. 

The colonel commanded 175 Airmen, and drove the completion of more than 12,000 job and work order requests and accomplished more than $44 million in construction.
He directed the construction of two large storage and maintenance ramps, enabling beddown of 19,000 pieces of war reserve material according to the award. 

"Never losing a sortie is a goal because each sortie has the potential to save an American life. We needed to keep the planes going 24/7 because the mission was 24/7. There was no such thing as a down day," Colonel Sloan said. 

He said he also expedited the completion of a million dollar flight line dining facility, dramatically improving the wing's ability to support deployed Airmen and soldiers. Colonel Sloan said that they were trying to create what he called an "expeduring" environment. 

"Our main focus that year was to make an 'expeduring' base. The idea was to take the base from an expeditionary posture to a more enduring posture," the colonel said.
He said that they were designing a new and more permanent base that is estimated to cost $120 million. 

He said the new base would be brick and mortar making it a more permanent base. He was also designing a new Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance complex for the aircraft because the heat was a constant battle due to the sensitivity of the aircraft. This new design would help protect the aircraft and maintain the climate.