DAF Operational Energy Awards Over $7 Million in Mission Execution Excellence Program (MEEP) Incentives

  • Published
  • By SAF/IE Strategic Communications
  • SAF/IEN

The Department of the Air Force recognized outstanding fuel optimization achievements at the 2024 Mission Execution Excellence Program (MEEP) Awards Ceremony, held during the annual Airlift/Tanker Association Symposium.

Presented by Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Operational Energy, Safety, and Occupational Health Roberto Guerrero, and General John LaMontagne, Commander of Air Mobility Command, the awards highlighted the innovative efforts of Air Force units to optimize aviation fuel use and improve combat capability.

MEEP, an Air Force Operational Energy initiative, is a competition-style program that provides monetary incentives proportional to fuel savings achieved by unit-level efforts. Through targeted fuel-saving practices and behaviors, the Air Force has avoided over $47 million in costs since the program’s inception in 2022, with over $20 million distributed to participating Wings and Squadrons as incentives. These incentives allow participating Wings to re-invest the award money into other high priority areas at leadership discretion, providing a win-win situation for the Department.

This year’s awards recognized exceptional performances among the 29 MEEP-participating units, which have expanded from just four active-duty squadrons in 2022 to a diverse group of C-17, C-5, and KC-135 units.

In the Air Reserve Component category, the 108th Air Refueling Squadron, 126th Air Refueling Wing of the Illinois Air National Guard, along with the 906th Air Refueling Squadron, 375th Air Mobility Wing, received the first-place award of $300,000, plus $72,558 in rebates, for a total of $372,558. The 326th Airlift Squadron, 512th Airlift Wing at Dover AFB, earned the second-place award of $200,000 and $74,993 in rebates, totaling $274,993.

In the Active-duty category, the first-place award of $600,000 was presented to the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron, 92nd Air Refueling Wing at Fairchild AFB, along with $570,584 in rebates for a combined total of $1,170,584. The 3rd Airlift Squadron, 436th Airlift Wing at Dover AFB, took the second-place award of $400,000 plus $635,950 in rebates, totaling $1,035,950.

Additional monetary awards were presented to the remaining competitors at a later point in the day. In total, Air Force Operational Energy awarded nearly $7 Million in incentives to 18 teams. Roberto Guerrero underscored the significance of MEEP, stating, “Programs like MEEP are critical to creating more combat capability for the Department of the Air Force. We call it ‘lethality per gallon.’ By incentivizing best practices that optimizes fuel use on our aircraft, we are increasing combat capability and mission readiness and reinforcing a culture of resource stewardship that could be the margin of victory in Great Power Competition.”

Participating teams are assessed based on multiple best practice metrics including reduced engine taxi and delayed start sequence, accurate recording of fuel data, and consistently using new planning software tools. The MEEP initiative plans further expansion across the Mobility Air Forces in coming years.