445th AW announces 2012 annual award winners

  • Published
  • By 445th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  The 445th Airlift Wing held its 2012 Annual Awards Banquet March 9 at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. More than 500 Airmen, family members and community leaders celebrated a night of achievements and accomplishments.

Chief Master Sgt. Jose Barraza, 3rd Wing command chief, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, served as the keynote speaker. Thomas Nagel, the Mayor of the City of Fairborn, Ohio, read a Proclamation to the 445th Airlift Wing, honoring the men and women of the wing on behalf of the City of Fairborn, designating March 9, 2013 as 445th Airlift Wing Day.

The 2012 annual award winners are:

Airman of the Year - Staff Sgt. Mikhail Berlin, 445th Airlift Wing Public Affairs; NCO of the Year -Master Sgt. David Reagan, 445th Logistics Readiness Squadron; Senior NCO of the Year - Master Sgt. Mark Lyle, 445th Mission Support Group; First Sergeant of the Year -Master Sgt. Eugene Coons, 445th Security Forces Squadron; Company Grade Officer of the Year - Capt. Randolph Gantt, 445th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron; Field Grade Officer of the Year - Maj. Aaron Dailey, 89th Airlift Squadron; Honor Guard Member of the Year - Tech. Sgt. Ryan Buxton, 445th Aeromedical Staging Squadron; Chief of the Year -Chief Master Sgt. Sean Storms, 87th Aerial Port Squadron; Civilian of the Year - Ms. Stacy Vaughn, 445th AW Public Affairs; Spouse of the Year - Mrs. Amelia Penner, wife of Master Sgt. Kerry Penner, 445th Maintenance Group; Youth of the Year - Mr. Charles Destefani, II, son of Maj. Charles Destefani, 445th Airlift Wing Inspector General; Leadership Award - Tech. Sgt. Tracy Cooper, 89th Airlift Squadron; and Community Partner of the Year - Air Force Sergeants Association Kittyhawk Chapter 751.

The wing introduced two additional awards this year: Squadron of the Year (nine squadrons were nominated) and Volunteer of the Year. The Squadron of the Year is the 89th AS and the Volunteer of the Year is Senior Airman Roosevelt Reid, Jr., 87th APS.

Each year the 445th Airlift Wing Chiefs' Group selects a member from each group: operations, mission support, maintenance as well as a member from the airlift wing for sustained superior performance. Chief's Group award recipients are: Tech. Sgt. Wolfgang Krenzer, 445th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron; Senior Airman Nathan Collett, 87th APS; Staff Sgt. Stephen Billingsley, 445th AMXS; and Master Sgt. Molly Blackburn, 445th ASTS.

At the close of the event, the chiefs' group surprised Col. Stephen Goeman, 445th AW commander, by making him an honorary chief during a short induction ceremony. The group presented him with chief stripes, a Certificate of Induction to Chief Master Sergeant, and a shadow box shaped to resemble the rank of a chief with mementoes and chief stripes inside.