The nation’s largest dry mill ethanol producer was recently honored by U.S. troops serving in Iraq.

The American flag in the photo being handed to POET CEO Jeff Broin by Major Andrew Chontos, MD was flown over the Sather Air Base at Baghdad International Airport, Iraq during OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM on Sunday, June 24, 2007. The flag was flown “in honor of POET” for “strengthening our nation through energy independence,” according to the commemorative certificate presented with it.

During the presentation at POET headquarters in Sioux Falls, SD, Major Chontos noted that the US Air Force is the highest fuel consumer of all the military branches. During a training weekend at the South Dakota Air National Guard, 10 F-16s typically fly two missions a day for two days consuming 60,000 gallons of fuel. One mission uses 1,500 gallons of fuel. At Camp Sather, 10,000 gallons of fuel are used per day for air conditioning and other electrical generation to support 1,000 airmen.

Thanks to Nathan Schock who alerted me to the post on Rhapsody in Green about the presentation.