Awards honoring Capt. David A. “Buck” Sarrette, son of David and Kathy Sarrette of Bainbridge, dominated a Jan. 28th celebration at the Center for Army Aviation at Fort Rucker, Ala.

Capt. Sarrette’s Aviation\Air Traffic Control Company received four of the evening’s five major awards.

All of the awards were based on the company’s outstanding performance during their year-long deployment to Iraq from the fall of 2007 to the fall of 2008.

They won the Air Traffic Control Company of the Year for the Army, and two of Capt. Sarrette’s troops won individual awards for their specialty.

Capt. Sarrette, a 1996 Bainbridge High School honor graduate, charter member of the school’s Air Force Junior ROTC program, and All-Region 1AAAA soccer and cross country performer, is a 2000 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.

After his graduation from West Point, he completed helicopter flight training at Fort Rucker and soon afterwards served his first tour of duty in Iraq flying Chinook helicopters.

Upon return home, his wife, Nicol, who is also a helicopter pilot, was deployed to Iraq. Not long after her return, Capt. Sarrette’s new Company was deployed for his second combat tour in Iraq where they performed so admirably.

Capt. Sarrette, his wife, and their 1-year-old son, Cole, will begin a three-year tour at Fort Rucker in March where he will be teaching new company commanders about their duties and responsibilities.

Bainbridge High School Air Force Junior ROTC director Col. Gary Breedlove, who attended the Fort Rucker awards ceremony with David and Kathy Sarrette, said he was really impressed with the size and significance of the ceremony.

“It was professionally done and we felt honored to be invited,” Col. Breedlove said. “Among the more than 300 guests, there were at least six general officers, including the three-star general who was the guest speaker. The people of Decatur County would be very impressed to see how one of our own was honored in such a magnificent way.”

“Buck and Nicol have served our country extremely well, and I’m pleased to know they will have some career stability for the next three years, especially since they will be nearby at Fort Rucker,” Col. Breedlove said.