At the Aerial Refueling Systems Advisory Group’s (ARSAG) convention in April, Mr. Tom Swiderek, the President of Omega Air, Inc., received the Award for Exceptional Service to ARSAG.  The organization lauded Mr. Swiderek for being always ready to give “his valuable advice and support any time he is asked”. The organization noted that his “unselfish readiness to lend his steady hand and organizational acumen accompanied by his technical and operational expertise has made ARSAG stronger and enhanced its standing in the aerial refueling world”. 

This award is given to an individual who has served in a leadership capacity at ARSAG, generally for a number of years, and may include Panel Chairs, Working Group Leads, members of Board of Directors, Steering Group members, and individuals who contributed to the success of the annual meetings.

A retired U.S. Air Force pilot, Mr. Swiderek joined the Omega Air team in 2007, Since then, he has helped manage several aerial refueling and jet engine related programs, including his role as Deputy Program Director for the Joint STARS Re-Engining program as well as coordinating Omega’s aerial refueling support for the X-47B UCAS program.  

In addition to his military service and business experience, Mr. Swiderek has held numerous leadership positions with the Aerial Refueling Systems Advisory Group International (ARSAG) and the U.S. DoD Joint Standardization Board for Aerial Refueling Systems for more than 17 years. Mr. Swiderek actively supports the ARSAG workgroups, recommending written procedures improving standardization and interoperability. 

ARSAG is designated by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense as a Joint Standardization Board (JSB) for Aerial Refueling Systems under the Defense Standardization Program (DSP). The objective of the DSP is to achieve common, mutually satisfactory solutions to shared requirements and problems.