JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- Team McChord’s 7th Airlift Squadron earned Air Mobility Command’s 2025 General Joseph Smith “Airlift Squadron of the Year” Trophy, recognizing the unit for exceptional mission performance, operational readiness and teamwork throughout 2025.
For the Airmen of the 7th AS, also known as the “Swords,” the recognition reflects the combined efforts of aircrew members, maintainers and support personnel who contributed to a demanding year of global mobility operations.
During the award period, the Swords flew 7,900 hours and completed 475 missions across seven continents, ranking No.1 among 31 C-17 Globemaster III squadrons in flying hours. The squadron transported 47.3 million pounds of cargo in support of Operations INHERENT RESOLVE and SPARTAN SHIELD, while maintaining a high operational tempo.
“Honored and humbled is probably the best way that I could describe it,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Adam Bergoo, 7th AS commander. “The opportunity to come and lead such an awesome group of Airmen and aviators is something that I would never have imagined as a young lieutenant.”
Bergoo took command of the squadron after they earned the General Joseph Smith Trophy. He recognized the generations of Swords that contributed to the time and effort of building out combat skills and looking to find new and innovative ways to execute combat operations. Those skills were tested during the Twelve Day War, when the squadron executed combat missions while delivering critical capabilities in a rapidly changing environment.
“A lot of what we do comes down to luck and timing, but fortunately the luck piece was taken out just based on the preparation that happened,” said Bergoo. “The preparations that you saw there, they saw that put to use in execution during the Twelve Day War.”
The squadron’s ability to respond to changing mission requirements relies on coordination across multiple departments, including the Squadron Operations Center. SOC manages aircraft availability, crew scheduling and mission changes while accounting for unexpected challenges.
The team balances mission requirements with the needs of Airmen in mind while maintaining operational capability.
“We’re constantly juggling a lot of things and making sure we have the right people in the right spots,” said Capt. Mitchell Brunke, 7th AS pilot and SOC. “We see the personal side of things. We’re looking at ways to help people out with life events while still getting the mission done.”
The squadron’s readiness also depends on the efforts of Squadron Aviation Resource Managers. SARM personnel manage flight records, training requirements and aircrew qualifications to ensure members meet the standards required for operations.
The 7th AS SARM team helps ensure aircrew members are prepared to execute missions safely and effectively.
“The SARM team works extremely hard to keep our pilots and loadmasters as ready as possible while maintaining safety as well,” said Senior Airman Paul Tague, 7th AS SARM. “We’re here to ensure that all the people in the squadron are safe to get in the jet and fly, and to ensure they’re ready to go to hack the mission.”
The squadron’s enlisted Airmen also played a significant role in maintaining mission effectiveness during a demanding year. The award recognizes the dedication of enlisted members across the squadron and serves as a reminder of the squadron culture built on pride, accountability and a commitment to complete the mission.
“People take a lot of pride in being in this squadron,” said Senior Master Sgt. Jason Fortwengler, 7th AS superintendent and chief loadmaster. “We’re a go-to airlift squadron, if stuff needs to get moved on time and done correctly, we’re the squadron to make it happen.”
For younger Airmen, the recognition represents the impact of the squadron’s training and effort. Senior Airman Helena Van Meeteren, a 7th AS loadmaster recounted how her experience with the Swords helped her grow as an Airman and develop confidence in her role. Van Meeteren recalled the squadron’s role in supporting combat operations during a deployment.
“For like five months we were flying a lot,” said Van Meeteren. “We were super busy, so it’s nice to see that something came out of all the effort we put into it.”
The General Joseph Smith Trophy recognizes the accomplishments of the entire 7th AS team and the Airmen who continue to prepare for future missions. Through continued training, innovation and teamwork, the 7th AS remains prepared to provide global airlift capability whenever and wherever it is needed.