KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Grace Colister, a native of Tafuna, American Samoa and 8th Security Forces Squadron flight sergeant, was awarded the 8th Fighter Wing’s Pride of the Pack for the week of Jun 1 - 5 for directing 35 Airmen while fulfilling an E-6 position for 11 months.
As a flight sergeant, Colister led an eight-member team 42 kilometers off installation to establish a cordon for an In-Flight Emergency. Her leadership thwarted multi-vectored threats and secured a downed AH-64 Apache helicopter valued at $52M. She also leveraged 6 subject matter experts and a $46M counter-drone suite to neutralize 37 unauthorized aerial systems, protecting 4.6K joint personnel earning her team the Mission Support Group Team of the Year award.
She employed readiness for PACAF's largest Ready Reserve Force, where she instructed 300 personnel, refined advanced tier proficiency, standardized 17 critical TTPs, reinforcing joint lethality & enabling 8 FW's #1 LOE "Defend the Base.”
Additionally, Colister revamped development for five duty positions using her certification as a Green Belt, driving kinetic training. She also earned highest duty qualifications amongst six flights with 18 "Exceptionally Well Qualified" ratings, surging unit effectiveness by 16%.
Finally, she coached and managed 29 defender athletes and directed the unit's first ever dual intramural volleyball teams, facilitating over 100 hours of practice drills, forging unit cohesion and enhanced dynamic teamwork while elevating squadron morale through competitive sportsmanship.
Thank you, Staff Sgt. Colister, for your outstanding leadership and dedication to the Wolf Pack mission. Congratulations on being this week’s Pride of the Pack!