352nd SOG history office recognized best in Air Force

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Rachel Waller
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  The 352nd Special Operations Group history office was recently awarded the 2014 Air Force Historical Research Agency and Museum Program's Allan S. Major Award.

The award, named after the first enlisted historian killed in the line of duty, recognizes the best single-person wing or group HO in the U.S. Air Force not only for their work over the past year but their entire history.

"Essentially, what this means is taking into account the annual history and overall program, the 352nd SOG was selected number one out of 170 programs in the U.S. Air Force," said Patrick Charles, former 352nd SOG historian.

Although the award itself has Charles' name inscribed on it, he credits the award to all of the 352nd SOG personnel.

"It was the entire 352nd SOG community, whether it is from the O-6 level to the E-1 level, that assisted me at one point or another," Charles said. "Knowing the program had been so fragmented over the years, I couldn't have imagined it would have blossomed into the best program in the U.S. Air Force!"

The 352nd SOG history program was virtually non-existent when he first arrived and the Air Force Special Operations Command leadership told him that the only way the program could go was up, the historian explained.

"The program had really fallen off to the point that it was the worst program in AFSOC, and among the bottom echelons of the entire Air Force," Charles said.

As time progressed, programs were implemented and the history program improved.

"With the fantastic support from the entire group, the 352nd SOG can truly claim to have the number one history office," said Charles.

Charles, who has since moved on to become the historian for the 24th Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida, brought more to the table than archiving.

"The 352nd SOG thanks you for all of your outstanding efforts for the past few years - from the office space to the physical training battlefield to the social engager," said Col. Matthew Powell, Joint Special Operations Air Component - Europe vice commander.