Golden Knight

The 21st Communications Squadron, Technical Control Facility Team, received the Golden Knight award for December 2008. Back row: From l-r, Col. Jay Raymond, 21st Space Wing commander, Staff Sgt. Eric Anderson, Staff Sgt. Jack Needham, Senior Airman Jose Feliciano, Staff Sgt. Brent Hermansen, Staff Sgt. Bob Henson, Staff Sgt. Evan Hallmark, and Senior Airman Richard Doughman Front Row: From l-r, Mr. Larry Day, Airman First Class Gina Custer, Senior Airman Katherine Merry, Tech. Sgt. Nathan Barber, Airman First Class Juan Ayala Not pictured: 1st Lt. Ashley Hardt, Tech. Sgt. Edgar Lopezbarreto, and Senior Airman Brandon Burtch

Published Feb. 26, 2009

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The 21st Communications Squadron Technical Control Facility team received the Golden Knight award for December 2008.

The Golden Knight is awarded each quarter to a unit deserving of recognition for the outstanding mission support provided to the 21st Space Wing.

21st CS/TCF displayed outstanding initiative, exceptional leadership skills, and extraordinary technical abilities during a catastrophic water pipe burst within the Technical Control Facility. With water almost completely engulfing the Asynchronous Transfer Mode, known as ATM, Non-Appropriated Funds Transformation, and NIPRNet equipment racks, the team was able to immediately redirect a couple hundred gallons of water away from these mission critical assets, preventing permanent damage to $10M worth of critical communication infrastructure.

The TCF team immediately shut down power to all equipment racks, safely relocated all Information Technology Equipment, notified the Defense Information System Agency, the Space Defense Interface Network, and the Unit Control Center to provide up-to-the-minute station/communications status.

As a controlled area, they maintained accountability of approximately 50 military, civilian, and contractor personnel, signing in and providing escort to all individuals as required.

Though the initial assessment made was to ensure a possible 48- to 72-hour facility outage, the team surprised all facets of leadership by having all communications back on line in a little more than 5 hours, a truly amazing accomplishment.

Finally, with the HVAC system shut down, they installed 5 fans in the LMR/SIPRNet areas when temperatures hit 80+ degrees and conducted hourly checks for 48 straight hours, doing whatever necessary to lower & maintain a safe temperature for these mission essential systems.