2024 Superior Achievement Award

Presented to: Captain Sarah V. Rowley

Citation: For outstanding innovation, leadership, and instructional ability in the development of fundamental skills of position, navigation, and timing for future United States Air Force aviators

2024 Superior Achievement Award - Capt. Sarah V. Rowley

Captain Sarah V. Rowley is a highly accomplished combat aviator with more than 1,450 flight hours in the B-52H and T-1A. Her leadership and innovation methodologies were critical attributes as she built a new primary training phase in the Air Force’s sole Undergraduate Combat Systems Officer (CSO) Training program, while simultaneously creating its instructor and student curricula. Her creative approach to teaching and performing fundamental CSO skills using the T25 simulator debuted as she revolutionized the 19th Air Force approved primary syllabus courseware for the AF’s only CSO training program. Her holistic teaching methodology significantly improved the fundamental and applied science of positioning, navigation, and timing to enhance the skills and capabilities of undergraduate students to become the world’s leading CSOs in their follow-on assignments. Additionally, she directed 342 instructor upgrade events, increasing instructor manning by 42%, and enabling a three-star general’s priority of student production.

Simultaneously, she directed the Enroute Navigation training phase, integrating 57 cadre into 1,450 academic and simulator events, forecasting manning and qualifications, and ultimately training 42 instructors while smoothing the transition of the evolving 19th Air Force approved UCT syllabus. Furthermore, she analyzed 14.1K data points within 19 required grading levels to standardize instructor grading within the 12 student T25 simulator training events. These graded items include the fundamental and applied science of PNT such as mission analysis, capability of directing takeoff, departure, enroute control and instrument navigation, position accuracy, chart procedures, fuel management, time control, inflight planning, and situational awareness.

Captain Rowley is the director of staff and instructor Combat Systems Officer (CSO), 479th Student Squadron, 12th Flying Training Wing, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. Captain Rowley received a BS in Intelligence Analysis from James Madison University and an MS with honors in Military Operational Art and Science in Leadership from Air University.