AFSPC Outstanding Airmen nominees arrive at Peterson

Published April 21, 2008
By Staff Report
Air Force Space Command Public Affairs

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Twenty-two nominees for Air Force Space Command's Outstanding Airmen of the Year arrived here April 21 for a week of activities leading up to the announcement of the command's selection for the honors.

Nominees will spend the week touring bases and local attractions such as the Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak and the U.S. Olympic Training Center. The week culminates in an awards banquet when the command will name its winners. They will be the command's nominees for the Air Force's 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year. The nominees will be easily identifiable by wearing a distinctive medallion, so please feel free to engage with them as they visit.

The nominees for the Airmen category are:

· Airman 1st Class Brittanie D. Pierce, readiness technician, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.

· Senior Airman Amanda J. Gladle, pharmacy technician, 61st Medical Group, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.

· Senior Airman Elkan C. Hawkins, 460th Space Wing client support administrator Program Manager, 460th Communications Squadron, Buckley AFB, Colo.

· Senior Airman Kevin A. Joseph, team chief, Instrumentation Laboratory, 576th Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

· Senior Airman Benjamin C. Sickbert, network Operations Technician, West Coast Communications Support Element, Los Angeles, Calif.

· Senior Airman Jonathan Toro Caloyeropoulos, security forces journeyman, 791st Missile Security Forces Squadron, fire team leader, Charlie flight, Minot AFB, N.D.

The nominees for the NCO category are:

· Tech. Sgt. Suzanne L. Barto, section chief ,Traffic Management Flight, 90th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Frances E. Warren AFB, Wyo.

· Tech. Sgt. Gene F. Brandt, network Integrator, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Directorate of Communications and Information, Peterson AFB, Colo.

· Staff Sgt. Edwardo C. Juarez, network technician, Vandenberg Communications Support Element, Non-commissioned officer in charge of the Network Operations Center, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

· Staff Sgt. Dreamy M. Peckhem, NCO in charge, Civil Engineer Support Branch, 61st Contracting Squadron, 61st Mission Support Group, 61st Air Base Wing, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.

· Staff Sgt. Rory E. Sturm Jr., security forces controller, 721st Security Forces Squadron, Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Colo.

· Staff Sergeant Rebecca M. Rowe, facilities Maintenance Section team chief assigned to the 576th Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

The nominees for the Senior NCO category are:

· Master Sgt. Elliott C. DeSaussure, detachment chief, National Reconnaissance Office Communications Directorate's Southeast Communications Support Element, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.

· Master Sgt. Billy C. Ferguson Jr., NCO in charge, Facilities Maintenance Section, 576th Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

· Senior Master Sgt. Karen B. Ferrantelli, command and control inspector assigned as manager, command and control inspections, Inspector General Directorate, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.

· Master Sgt. George Price Jr., explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight Chief, 45th Civil Engineer Squadron, Patrick AFB, Fla.

· Master Sgt. Timoteo J. Silva, vehicle operations supervisor, 341st Space Wing, 341st Mission Support Group, 341st Logistics Readiness Squadron, Vehicle Operations Flight, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.

· Master Sgt. Scott Ward, satellite, wideband, and telemetry systems craftsman, 16th Space Control Squadron, Peterson AFB, Colo.

The nominees for the First Sergeant category are:

· Master Sgt. Sara L. Dozier, first sergeant, 50th Network Operations Group, Schriever AFB, Colo.

· Master Sgt. Michael R. Primo, first sergeant, Space Innovation and Development Center, Schriever AFB, Colo.

· Master Sgt. Thomas F. Raupach, first sergeant, 61st Medical Group, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.

· Senior Master Sgt. David L. Kelch, first sergeant, 341st Civil Engineer Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.

Established by the Air Force, this program recognizes 12 outstanding active-duty enlisted professionals in a range of grades representing a cross section of career fields for superior leadership, job performance, community involvement and personal achievements.

The Air Force Association honors the 12 Outstanding Airmen at its annual convention in Washington, D.C., according to the AFA Web site. The program was initiated at the AFA's 10th annual national conference, held in New Orleans in 1956. The Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, a general officer and selected major command-level command chiefs form the selection board. The Air Force Chief of Staff reviews the selections. The 12 Outstanding Airmen are awarded the Outstanding Airman ribbon with the bronze service star device and wear the Outstanding Airman badge for one year. They also serve on the Air Force Enlisted Council for one year. Guidelines for submissions are outlined in Air Force Instruction 36-2805.