The 2021 Aviation Valour Award is presented to the crew of United States Air Force Air Mobility Command Boeing C-17 Globemaster III serial number 01-0186. This crew is a unit of the 6th Airlift Squadron from Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst, New Jersey, USA.
On Sunday, August 15th, 2021, operating as REACH 871, this crew completed a mission from Hamad Karzai Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, when they transported 823 refugees, including 183 children, to Al Udied Airport, Qatar. This mission, which took place under challenging circumstances, marks a record passenger load for the C-17 whose official passenger carrying capacity is 138 with seat pallets, and in emergency conditions up to 336 for humanitarian purposes.

The crew used their judgment and flying skill to conduct the safe departure of this remarkable flight and, in so doing, displayed valour in the field of aviation and broke new records for passenger numbers on this aircraft type.

This award is presented to the following crew members of REACH 871:

• Lieutenant Colonel Eric Kut
• Captain Cory Jackson
• 1st Lieutenant Mark Lawson
• Technical Sergeant Justin Triola
• Airman 1st class Nicolas Baron
• Staff Sergeant Derek Laurent
• Senior Airman Richard Johnson

The organising committee of the Kinsale Aviation Festival is honoured to present this award at a ceremony on Nov 27th, 2021, in Kinsale, County Cork, Republic of Ireland.