Harvey named 'Support Airman of the Week'

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  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Joan Harvey, 982nd Maintenance Squadron instructional technology developer and native of Muleshoe, Texas, has been with the Air Force for 37 years and is the Support Airman of the Week at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, for the week of Oct. 27 through Nov. 2, 2015. Harvey is responsible for programing training aids to assist in the learning and development of the Air Forces newest generation of maintainers.

How she impacts the training mission:

"Ms. Joanie Harvey has improved every organization she has worked in," said Rob Ward, Harvey's supervisor. "Her success afforded her an opportunity to work in the base's Communications Squadron as a computer operator and classified telecommunication processor where she managed the base mainframes and secure messaging system."

Ward also said Harvey later earned a promotion to the Civil Engineering Squadron as a systems administrator where her dedication and professionalism saved CE from losing millions of dollars of information and standardized data management of CE work orders for the base.

"She was hired into the Instructional Technology Unit because of the A76 in 2009 , where she focused on creating better ways to infuse innovation into classroom and distance education," Ward said. "She became a very good software developer supporting courses that teach the T-6 ejection seat, C-5 air conditioner, C-135 global air traffic management system, the Basic Instructor Course Refresher, as well as virtual F-15 aircraft forms."

Most significant accomplishments:

"In 1994, Ms. Harvey was acclaimed by the chief of base communication operations for identification of a severe malfunction of a highly sensitive message distribution system," Ward said. "She ensured proper security and delivery of vital organizational messages for mission accomplishment."

"When she was promoted to be the Civil Engineering systems administrator assigned to integrate the first CE network project on Sheppard; she converted two standalone Work Information Maintenance System mainframes into one Integrated Work Information Maintenance System for 11 buildings with 400 users connected to Gunter Air Force Base's primary system," he said.

"After establishing a comprehensive work order and information backup procedure, she saved CE $5.1 million by recovering all organization data after a catastrophic system failure," Ward continued. "In 2011, Ms. Harvey was an essential team member to the ITU's success in earning an 'Outstanding' rating from the 2nd Air Force inspection only one of three flights in the 82nd Training Wing."

Ward said she was the lead programmer to convert the Basic Instructor Course Refresher to Distance Learning and developed and configured more than 800 HTML pages. Nearly 280 instructors take the online course annually across the major command.

Supervisor comments:

"Joanie started working at Sheppard in 1978 and will be retiring later this month," Ward said. "She enjoys spending most of her time with friends and family, most notably her two great nieces, Baylee and Marcianna."

Ward said the children's mother has been like Harvey's daughter and the girls like her grandchildren. He continued saying Marcianna who is four years old is the light of her life and once she is retired, she will also have more time to devote to her four legged family Lacey and Sadie her 12-year-old rescue dogs as well as her four rescued cats; Zorro, Abbey, Bella and Bruno.

Harvey looks forward to returning to her hobbies like crocheting, creative baking and gardening. She also volunteers for various city organizations including the Daughters of the American Revolution. Recently DAR commenced the upkeep of the Military Appreciation Room at the new airport.

"She also volunteers at the Clay County Humane Society," said Ward. "There are many dogs and cats waiting for new homes and she works hard to support them with food, grooming and cuddles."