The award comes only 18 months after one of the wing’s B-1 Lancers was lost in a crash—which an Air Force investigation attributed to “an overall lack of discipline.”
Last week, the United States Air Force announced that “The Raiders of the 28th Bomb Wing once again distinguished themselves for their exceptionally meritorious service by garnering the 2024 Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award.” The wing previously won the prestigious award in 2022 and 2023, and also won the Meritorious Unit Award in 2019.
“This is a remarkable testament to everyone working together and their unwavering dedication to accomplishing our mission of providing strategic deterrence here,” said Col. Erick Lord, 28th Bomb Wing commander. “This is a team win that clearly distinguishes us and our vital role on the world stage.”
The 28th Bomb Wing operates from Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, and is home to the Rockwell B-1B Lancer and will be the future home of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider. The base is currently undergoing a major infrastructure upgrade to host the Raider.
BTF Deployments, Strikes on Iran… But a Crash, Too!
It was further noted by the US Air Force that “among the many achievements the wing had in 2024 were executing two Bomber Task Force deployments and five higher headquarter directives, conducting airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force and affiliated militia groups.”
The unit also saw its entire Lancer fleet relocated to Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota, as the base prepares for the B-21 Raider.
While those are commendable accomplishments and deserving of an award, the US Air Force failed to acknowledge in the citation that a B-1B Lancer connected to the 34th Bomb Squadron, a unit within the 28th Bomb Wing, had been lost in a crash in early January 2024 at Ellsworth AFB.
A US Air Force Accident Investigation Board report released in July 2024 found that multiple pilot errors and “an overall lack of discipline throughout the 34th Bomb Squadron” contributed to the accident, which resulted in the total loss of the bomber.
While all four crew members were able to eject safely, two sustained injuries, as Task & Purpose reported. One of the crew members’ injuries was due to his weight, “which was nearly 260 pounds, over the ejection seat’s 245-lb weight limit for safe use.”
The report stated that the crash was due in no small part to a “culture of noncompliance, widespread deviation from established policy and procedure, and several organizational influences and preconditions.”
Poor weather, including icing conditions, further contributed to the crash.
As noted, the report was not released until the end of July 2024, more than halfway through the year, but the unit still received the 2024 Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award.
Does the US Military Suffer from a “Medal Inflation” Problem?
There is a widely held perception that in recent years, the US military has increased the number and types of awards that are given, including for non-combat related actions. This has led to what some observers characterize as “medal inflation,” in which the over-awarding of medals to troops not involved in dangerous missions cheapens their value. This trend is not isolated to any one service.
It is very likely that following the crash in early January, efforts were made to correct the culture within the 28th Air Wing, and the results were that it exceeded expectations. However, the fact that the wing received an award following last summer’s scathing report is far from an isolated event within the Department of Defense.
As reported last year, the US Navy’s Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD-4) has earned numerous awards for superior performance, including the Battle “E” award for being among the best ships in the fleet with sustained continuous readiness. The ship has received the awards despite being prone to breakdowns and having been forced to return to port on multiple occasions. Moreover, sailors on the ship had been the subject of two command investigations that found significant deficiencies in maintenance and crew discipline.
The US military has aimed to be a meritocracy based on competence and performance. However, it is unclear whether this is the direction it is headed.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Shutterstock / Darren Brode.
