509th Bomb Wing receives Omaha Trophy

The Omaha Trophy was presented to Team Whiteman during a ceremony April 28, 2014 at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. The Omaha Trophy, sponsored by U.S. Strategic Command’s Consultation Committee, is awarded annually to four outstanding units that represent USSTRATCOM’s mission areas. Team Whiteman was awarded the trophy in the Strategic Aircraft Operations category. USSTRATCOM relies on various task forces for the execution of its global missions, including space operations, information operations, missile defense, global command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), global strike and strategic deterrence, and combatting weapons of mass destruction. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Bryan Crane/Released)

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509th Bomb Wing receives Omaha Trophy

Lt. Gen. James Kowalski, U.S. Strategic Command deputy commander, presents the Omaha Trophy to Brig. Gen. Glen VanHerck, 509th Bomb Wing commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Lee Barr, 509th Bomb Wing command chief, during a ceremony at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., April 28, 2014. The trophy is awarded annually to four outstanding units that represent USSTRATCOM’s mission areas. Winners are selected based on formal evaluations, meritorious achievement, safety and other factors such as community involvement and humanitarian actions. USSTRATCOM relies on various task forces for the execution of its global missions, including space operations, information operations, missile defense, global command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), global strike and strategic deterrence, and combatting weapons of mass destruction. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Bryan Crane/Released)

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509th Bomb Wing receives Omaha Trophy

Lt. Gen. James Kowalski, U.S. Strategic Command deputy commander, addresses Team Whiteman during a Omaha Trophy presentation at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., April 28, 2014. Kowalski thanked Team Whiteman for all the contributions to the Air Force mission and their dedication to excellence. The 509th Bomb Wing supports USSTRATCOM's strategic deterrence mission by operating and maintaining B-2 Spirit bombers to deter strategic threats from adversaries and assure our allies of our commitment to their security. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Bryan Crane/Released)

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509th Bomb Wing receives Omaha Trophy

Brig. Gen. Glen VanHerck, 509th Bomb Wing commander, addresses Team Whiteman during the Omaha Trophy presentation, April 28, 2014, at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. VanHerck congratulated Team Whiteman for winning the award and for their day-to-day contributions to the U.S. Strategic Command and Air Force missions. The 509th Bomb Wing supports USSTRATCOM's strategic deterrence mission by operating and maintaining B-2 Spirit bombers to deter strategic threats from adversaries and assure our allies of our commitment to their security. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Bryan Crane/Released)

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509th Bomb Wing receives Omaha Trophy

Published May 2, 2014
By Senior Airman Bryan Crane
509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- The 509th Bomb Wing was awarded the 2013 Omaha Trophy in the Strategic Aircraft Operations category, April 28, 2014, at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo.

This is the second time Whiteman has one this award, the title was previously held in 2006.

The Omaha Trophy, sponsored by the Omaha's Strategic Command Consultation Committee, is awarded annually to four outstanding units that represent USSTRATCOM's mission areas, their role in global operations and USSTRATCOM's continued emphasis on strategic deterrence.

The four awards given are the Global Operations, Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, Submarine Ballistic Missile and Strategic Aircraft Operations trophies. Selections are based on formal evaluations, meritorious achievement, safety and factors such as community involvement and humanitarian actions.

The Omaha Trophy was first awarded in 1970 by the citizens of Omaha, Nebraska, through the Strategic Air Command Consultation Committee, to the most outstanding SAC wing in honor of the 25th anniversary of the SAC.

Over the years more categories have been added. In 1992 when SAC was deactivated and USSTRATCOM was activated, USSTRATCOM Consultation Committee went to two awards.

In 2003, two more categories where added.The award was dropped back to two categories for one year in 2007 and returned back to its current format of four categories in 2008.

Lt. Gen. James Kowalski, U.S. Strategic Command deputy commander, presented the award on behalf of Adm. Cecil Haney, U.S. Strategic Command commander, before addressing Team Whiteman's Airmen and praising their continuous mission success.