Air Force Materiel Command news service : Geurts named best Air Force Military System Program Director

Defense AT&L, July-August, 2006 by Ryan Hansen

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFMCNS) -- For a long time now the members of the Long Range Missile Systems Group believed they had the best program director in the Air Force. Now it's official.

Recently their commander, Col. Jim Geurts, was named the 2005 Air Force Outstanding Military System Program Director, and they believe no one is more deserving.

"Without a doubt, he deserves to be recognized for the transformation that took place under his leadership," said Capt. Anita Skipper, Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range deputy program manager. "It is a great day when those who deserve to be rewarded get recognized."

"He is the most worthy person I can think of to earn this distinction," said Moe Bandy, JASSM test director. "[He] is the finest example of a military officer I've known in my 25 years of service."

The LRMSG falls under the Air-to-Ground Munitions Systems Wing and their leader is also very grateful to have Geurts as part of his team.

"It is a privilege to serve with Col. Geurts," said Thomas Robillard, AGMSW director. "He is a model leader, strategist, and tactician. He has laser-like focus on the mission and his folks."

When Geurts learned he had won the award, he said he immediately thought of his troops that have worked so hard this past year.

"I am very happy that the tireless efforts of the LRMSG team over the last year were in part recognized by my selection," he said. "To me, being a part of that team is an honor in itself, and winning this award is just icing on the cake."

In 2005 Geurts guided the JASSM program through quite a few challenges. He pushed the highly sought after weapon from stop-test status to Initial Operational Capability on the B-1 and B-52. He helped prove its reliability, got it back on track and delivered more than 200 weapons ahead of schedule.

"(JASSM) was in real trouble with a lot of very important stakeholders," Robillard said. "[Col. Geurts] led his team into every briefing, worked every issue, and answered countless questions. In the end, support for the program was restored and a much improved and very important combat capability will be available to the warfighter."

Geurts also led JASSM-ER through its early development stages this past year. He kept it on track to meet the Secretary of the Air Force's challenge of fielding the weapon by 2008.

The colonel arrived at Eglin in June 2004 and is scheduled to depart next month to the Special Operations Command headquarters where he will be the program executive officer for Fixed Wing Aircraft. However, he said he is proud to have served with such a great team.

"I believe all individual awards are really a reflection of the entire unit, so in that respect, this award speaks highly of our entire unit," Geurts said. "One person cannot guarantee success nor do all the work. It takes the coordinated and enthusiastic efforts of the entire team, working towards a common goal, to be successful. Working hard problems with a great team is always a leader's dream, and JASSM had both."

Hansen is with Air Armament Center Public Affairs.

Staff Sgt. Ryan Hansen, USAF