Air Force
officer becomes namesake for prestigious
award

by Tech. Sgt.
Amaani Lyle
Secretary of the Air Force Public
Affairs

1/8/2010 - WASHINGTON
(AFNS) -- The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy recently
named an award after an Air Force officer who commanded the 732nd
Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron and provided leadership
for the first Air Force detachments conducting convoy escort
missions at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.

Established in 2009, the
Lt. Col. Heather Buono Logistics Award recognizes outstanding
graduates who complete the four-year academic commissioning source
program at the Kings Point, N.Y.-based USMMA, the only academy
focused on both commerce and military service.

"I am greatly
humbled and honored to have an award carry my name in recognition of
the accomplishments of the squadron I led in Iraq," Colonel Buono
said. "The Airmen of that squadron, predominantly logisticians, used
a broad range of skills to safely convoy needed supplies throughout
Iraq when many of the areas were still very
dangerous."

Colonel Buono is currently the executive officer
for the assistant secretary for installations, environment and
logistics. During her deployment from September 2004 to March 2005,
Colonel Buono led the squadron that provided combat support of more
than 600 Joint Expeditionary Tasking Airmen embedded at four
operational locations in the Iraqi theater of
operations.

With nearly 20 years of military service, Colonel
Buono said she initially attended the academy's logistics course and
met with an Air Force liaison there while working for Kevin
Billings, former acting assistant secretary of the Air Force for
installations, environment and logistics. Mr. Billings later worked
with Gen. Duncan McNabb, U.S. Transportation Command commander, and
USMMA officials to develop the award as an inspiration for USMMA
midshipmen desiring a career in Air Force logistics.

Academy
graduates receive a bachelor of science degree, a license as a
merchant marine officer, issued by the U.S. Coast Guard, and an
appointment as a commissioned officer in a reserve component of the
U.S. Armed Forces, including the Merchant Marine Reserve of the U.S.
Navy.

Merchant marines significantly support the nation's
economic and security needs, since the U.S. currently imports
approximately 85 percent of some 77 strategic commodities vital to
America's industry and defense.

Accounting for only six
percent of the world population, the U.S. purchases nearly a third
of the world's output of raw materials. Ninety-nine percent of these
materials are transported by merchant vessels.

Colonel Buono
shared what she hopes will be the USMMA's legacy.

"I hope
graduates from the Merchant Marine Academy become future leaders in
the Air Force," she said. "The Air Force, and particularly the
logistics career field, will benefit from the diversity of
experience and background of a graduated merchant
mariner."

The award will be presented at the annual awards
ceremony during graduation June 21.