Eglin leader commands OEF skies, returns with Bronze Star

  • Published
  • By Chrissy Cuttita
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
Another bronze star was born when Lt. Col. Scott Moore, 29th Test Systems Squadron director of operations, was awarded the honor Sept. 17 at a 53rd Wing commanders call.

Orchestrating over 77,500 combat sorties generated quite a few memorable moments of the colonel's year-long mission having operational control of all flying assets in the Central Air Force area of operations.

"Back here we don't realize the amount of stuff going on there," Colonel Moore said reflecting on his fifth deployment that began April 2009. "There, I was looking at the operational level of war. A lot of what we did there was to make sure the right asset was in the right place in support of our ground troops. I'm glad I got to do something where I made a difference."

For the combat veteran B-52 pilot, the personal satisfaction of being on the operational side of war versus the flying he did in previous deployments, was receiving thanks from ground commanders who said they couldn't do what they did without the air support the U.S. military's largest Combined Air and Space Operations Center provided.

"The Air Force considers the CAOC a weapons system," said Colonel Moore.

Leading a team in the targeting and destruction of more than 27 high-value targets, crippling the threat of opposing command and control capabilities were listed in the Bronze Star Medal citation. The colonel was also recognized for directing airpower in a 96-hour battle claimed to be the Taliban's biggest setback in 2009. Results of the battle included seizure of 1.26 billion dollars of narcotics, destruction of 210 tons of improvised explosive device making materials and the elimination of 75 front-line insurgent fighters.

Col. Michael Gantt, 53rd Wing Commander presented the Bronze Star Medal to Colonel Moore.

"The Command and Control structure is one of the most critical nodes in executing Counter Insurgency Operations," said Colonel Gantt. "Lt Col Moore and his leadership is an example of the effect C2 can have on a war effort, and the results he and his team generated are truly impressive."

To manage operations 24/7, CAOC personnel on shift never leave their post. Computers, phones, radios are always within an arm's reach to maintain control of the battlefield. They know everything from the fuel a pilot needs, the position of ground troops to managing the flow of intelligence coming back from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in the sky said Colonel Moore.

From the start of his deployment, he was at the tip of the spear and locked in on major OEF events like the drawdown of Iraq operations, the change of theater U.S. commanders and Afghanistan's leadership turnover.

"The busiest day of airpower was the Afghan election," said Colonel Moore about the numerous air assets that took their presence in the sky for the historical event. "I sat there and realized I had been there 13 hours before I looked for my shift replacement."

Moving the CAOC facility from an old hangar to a new state of the art facility and spending four days preparing Naval aircrews for combat missions aboard the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan were other unique experiences during the colonel's tour in theater.

While ensuring there were zero uncovered high priority air support requests during his watch, the colonel also made a few good friends he'll forever keep as professional contacts and comrades in arms.

"Another interesting reward of the job was working with coalition partners and seeing how they fit in the big picture," said Colonel Moore.

It was his first real experience working side by side with U.S., Australian, British and other international military forces to employ air power with a new set of selective rules of engagement over a 20-nation area of responsibility in Southwest Asia.

This large scale scope of things to keep an eye on is what Colonel Moore said earned him the Bronze Star Medal.

"The next best thing to flying is seeing the big picture," he said. "You get an immediate feedback and sense of accomplishment when making sure airplanes are overhead protecting our forces on the ground."