HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- The 4th Special Operations Squadron was selected as the Air Force Special Operations Command Outstanding Special Operations Squadron of the Year for 2006. 

Lt. Gen. Michael Wooley, AFSOC commander, presented the award to members of the 4th SOS at a ceremony Monday. 

"Congratulations on a job extremely well done," General Wooley said to an auditorium filled with 4th SOS personnel. 

"I looked at all of the award packages, and it was an easy decision. Yours was a stand-out package," the general said. "But it wasn't the package itself. It was the stuff inside the package." 

The package was peppered with statistics about combat missions. It was also punctuated with stories and accomplishments of the squadron's personnel. 

According to the package, the 4th SOS flew a record of 1,174 combat missions for 6,553 combat hours, swiftly eliminating 179 enemy personnel, and destroying 45 buildings, 49 vehicles, 16 improvised explosive devices and six weapons caches. One of 11 flying squadrons in the 1st Special Operations Group, the 4th SOS amassed over one-third of the man-days deployed, combat hours and annual flying hours. 

The package described the heroics of the 4th SOS crew that provided close air support simultaneously to both a special operations helicopter that was shot down and an F-16 that crashed, quickly taking charge of the air situation, delegating the roles and taskings for the various fires and reconnaissance platforms airborne to maximize firepower and provide "eyes on" the numerous enemy trucks and friendly force locations. As a result of the crew's leadership, both crash sites were secured, and the entire ground force made it back to their base unharmed. 

This was one of many examples of the 4th SOS doing what it takes to accomplish the mission, and one of the reasons why the 4th SOS also boasts an impressive number of individual award winners, such as the 2006 Staff Sgt. Henry "Red" Erwin Award and the 1st Special Operations Wing 2006 Daedalian Exceptional Pilot Award. 

But despite deployments and the squadron's record operations tempo, dozens have made the time to complete civilian and military education. Its members also volunteer countless hours in community activities such as Meals-on-Wheels and Airman Against Drunk Driving. 

"Because of your commitment, your attitude and the things you signed up to do, you are making a difference, and I am very proud of you," General Wooley said.