"DUTCH" HUYSER AWARD
Chief Master Sergeant Spillane received the "Huyser" after having a unbelievable 2003 and 2004 while flying with the 50th Airlift Squadron during the Afghan and Iraq Wars. At that time, during the initial stages of the war in Afghanistan, then Master Sergeant Spillane, was the only person in the Afghanistan theater of operation authorized to perform Joint Airdrop Inspections on airdroppable cargo. He was instrumental in coordinating, inspecting and flying the first 5 Night Vision Goggle airdrops in Air Mobility Command history. After his deployed unit moved to Seeb Air Base in Oman to support initial operations in the Iraq war, he single handedly directed Standardization and Evaluation operations for all C-130 Aircrews in country, he authored guidance and directives and developed a classified aircrew message distribution system that enable safe aircrew operations in the combat zone. During this time he also accrued 151 Combat Flight Hours and flew an additional 28 Combat support sorties.
The General Robert "Dutch" Huyser Award is named after retired General Robert E. "Dutch" Huyser, who commanded the Military Airlift Command from 1979 to 1981. The award is presented by the Airlift/Tanker Association each year for sustained excellence in Airmanship.