2nd Air Force Annual Award nominees for 82nd TRW

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Valerie Hosea
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  82nd Training Wing nominees for the 2nd Air Force annual awards were announced Feb. 13. 

The 82nd TRW winners for 2008 are as follows: 

-Capt. Thomas Eckel (782nd Training Group)-Company Grade Officer of the Year- Supervised more than 130 outside-the-wire combat missions 

-Master Sgt. Thomas Blount (782nd TRG)-Senior NCO of the Year-- Earned 18 semester hours toward an Masters of Business Administration in human resource management and maintained a 4.0 grade point average 

-Tech. Sgt. Scott Turner (982nd TRG)-NCO of the Year-- Spearheaded a transfer of a $1.9 million fighter engine to Ohio Air National Guard and improved training for 65 combat warriors annually 

-Airman 1st Class Maria Mena (82nd TRW)-Airman of the Year-- Flawlessly processed 1,563 enlisted performance reports, officer performance reports, decorations and correspondences 

-Mark Snyder (82nd Mission Support Group)-Civilian Supervisory Category II of the Year-- Oversaw the successful execution of $5 million in multiple-award construction contracts 

-Robert Thompson (82nd MSG)-Civilian Supervisory Category I of the Year--Awarded Fire Officer of the Year, selected 82nd TRW Civilian of the Quarter and "coined " by 82nd TRW Commander for excellence 

-Todd Petit (782nd TRG)-Civilian Category II of the Year-- Led investigation of game-based training, was selected to evaluate Air Force convoy simulator and reduced contractor cost by $40,000 

-Marta Garcia (82nd Medical Group)-Civilian Category I of the Year-- Number one of nine civilian dental assistants and assisted in same-day crown fabrication which reduced turn-around time by 93 percent 

-Staff Sgt. Kelvin Hatcher (782nd TRG)-NCO Honor Guardsman of the Year-- Meals on Wheels leader providing 200 meals for Wichita Falls Seniors 

-Senior Airman Sumera Shehzadi (82nd MSG)-Airman Honor Guardsman of the Year- Lead guardsman, performed 33 ceremonies and put in 235 man-hours and also garnered Honor Guard Airman of 3rd Quarter for the 82nd TRW 

-Master Sgt. Leon Calloway (782nd TRG)-Military Volunteer of the Year-Led food collection efforts for 82nd TRW and collected more than 17,000 pounds of food that was donated to Wichita Falls food bank 

-Karen McManus (782nd TRG)-Civilian Volunteer of the Year- Spearheaded the base wide "U Can Share Food Drive" and collected 17,000 pounds of canned goods 

-Janeen Mills (782nd TRG)-Spouse Volunteer of the Year--Led spouses group in baking and distributing 700 cupcakes to Airmen in Training 

-Master Sgt. Scotty Fogle (82nd TRG)-First Sgt. of the Year-- Resuscitated dead newcomers orientation program and mentored 12,000 Airmen bringing issues down by 50 percent 

-Master Sgt. Dana Fogle (82nd MSG)-Additional Duty First Sgt. of the Year

The following were 82nd TRW Annual Tech Training Award Winners for 2008: 

-Senior Airman James Harrison (782nd TRG)-Airman Instructor of the Year-- Performed 320 hours of multiple instructor requirements in war-time field exercises 

-Tech. Sgt. James Gill (782nd TRG)-NCO Instructor of the Year-- Coordinated efforts with base supply point which acquired more than 40 hoses, nozzles and valves for Iraqi air force utilization at no cost to the Air Force 

-Master Sgt. Edward Fitzgerald (782d TRG)-Senior NCO Instructor of the Year-- Aced a "no-notice" wing inspection on $3.2 million Air Education and Training Command Form 120 equipment account 

-Maj. Lorelei Gomez (82nd TRG)-Officer Instructor of the Year-- Prepared Iraqi air force staff to sustain an $82 million schoolhouse and is preparing the Iraqi Air Force for the counter-insurgency fight 

-Dale Koontz (982nd TRG)-Civilian Instructor of the Year-- Averaged 114 hours per month with an 87 percent utilization rate 

-Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Crerar (82nd TRW)-Junior Military Training Leader of the Year-- Aggressively attacked the rewrite of AETC Instruction 36-2216 and released new policies to 167 MTLs 

-Master Sgt. Robert Fraley (82nd TRW)-Senior MTL of the Year-- Trained 2,000 Airman for the wing's change of command parade which was lauded by the 2nd Air Force commander as the "Best parade I've seen!" 

-Capt. Clifford Scruggs (982nd TRG)-Flight Commander of the Year--built 21 projects at $750,000 and avoided $1.5 million in contract costs 

-Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Wampler (882nd TRG)-Support NCO of the Year-- Managed a $487,000 supplies and equipment account, maintained a balanced budget and inventory and ensured around the clock medical coverage 

-Master Sgt. Jeff Johnson (882nd TRG)-Support SNCO of the Year-- Created alcohol use and abuse briefing which educated 300 Airmen on the dangers of alcohol 

-Maj. William Villegas II (982nd TRG)-Support Officer of the Year-- Bulldogged an Air Force $1.5 million B-1 digital test station modification and facilitated 176 war fighters putting in 56,000 annual training hours 

-Carol Blankenship (82nd TRG)-Support Civilian of the Year-- Expertly executed life support and survival merger into flight equipment career field which had a $4.7 million potential first year savings