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Air Education and Training Command

AETC names top performers of 2017

Brenda S. Sizemore, Director of Business Operations for the 17th Contracting Squadron at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, receives the 2017 Supervisory Civilian of the Year Award from Lt. Gen. Steve Kwast, Commander of AETC, during the AETC 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Awards banquet Feb. 22, 2018 in Orlando, Fla. Sizemore earned Best AETC Contracting Civilian two years in a row, led AETC’s best base-level cost reduction program, saving the Air Force $13 million over six years, as well as managed the Contracting Officer Warrant Program, helping to alleviate squadron buy shortfall while also increasing contract award production by 27 percent. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Norman)

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AETC names top performers of 2017

Paul Gentile, Assistant Chief for Fire Protection assigned to the 47th Civil Engineer Squadron at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, receives the 2017 Supervisory Civilian of the Year Award from Lt. Gen. Steve Kwast, Commander of Air Education and Training Command, during the AETC 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Awards banquet, Feb. 22, 2018 in Orlando, Fla. Gentile led the Wing fire prevention program, inspecting 61 facilities, identifying and correcting 46 safety violations and safe guarding 5,700 base personnel, provided vital Emergency Operations Command node during T-38 crash response, integrating with 11 agencies and hastened incident resolution, and oversaw the first-ever Junior Firefighter car show, leading 120 hours preparation and raising $2,500 enabling zero cost for the event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Norman)

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AETC names top performers of 2017

Ramiro Solis, Maintenance Program Supervisor assigned to the 97th Maintenance Group at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, receives the 2017 Supervisory Civilian of the Year Award from Lt. Gen. Steve Kwast, Commander of Air Education and Training Command, during the AETC 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Awards banquet, Feb. 22, 2018, in Orlando, Fla. Solis executed $9.2 million KC-46 Pegasus support equipment, which processed 1,874 pieces and guaranteed the Wing’s new mission success, identified a critical KC-46 potable water shortfall with a solution that was implemented fleet-wide, and orchestrated a city-wide fundraiser to replace the youth softball and safety equipment, raising $3,500 and providing for 80 children. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Norman)

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AETC names top performers of 2017

Dr. Andrew M. Akin, Professor of National Security Studies at the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Alabama, receives the 2017 Non-supervisory Civilian of the Year Award from Lt. Gen. Steve Kwast, Commander of AETC, during the AETC 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Awards banquet Feb. 22, 2018 in Orlando, Fla. Akin created and assisted seven academic courses, while teaching three courses, transforming Official Professional Military Education (OPME) content for 28,000 Air Force, civilian and joint service students winner of the Minerva Research Grant, as well as chaired an innovation team, producing the first-ever Facebook live and ADOBE Connect live webinars for OPME students. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Norman)

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AETC names top performers of 2017

Joseph M. DiMisa, Instructor of Environmental Management at the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, receives the 2017 Non-supervisory Civilian of the Year Award from Lt. Gen. Steve Kwast, Commander of AETC, during the AETC 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Awards banquet Feb. 22, 2018 in Orlando, Fla. DiMisa directed eight AFIT Civil Engineering courses, while teaching 130 instructional hours in 25 courses, educating 783 Department of Defense engineers, developed seven Air Force level on-demand environmental management mini-courses, which are used 8,000 times per month and saved the Air Force $400,000 annually, as well as authored and published “Ecological Restoration of the Midwest” a 296 page book and a first of its kind for the Midwest. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Norman)

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AETC names top performers of 2017

Frances Santiago, Identification Card Section Lead assigned to the 802nd Force Support Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, receives the 2017 Non-supervisory Civilian of the Year Award from Lt. Gen. Steve Kwast, Commander of AETC, during the AETC 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Awards banquet Feb. 22, 2018 in Orlando, Fla. Santiago won the prestigious Depart of Defense, Defense Manpower Data Center High Flyer award, restructured two site operations reducing customer wait times by 50 percent and earning a top 10 rank for office Air Force wide, as well as vetted, educated and terminated 811 Common Access and Identification Cards saving Air Force $8.7 million in erroneous Tricare benefits. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Norman)

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AETC names top performers of 2017

Julio Cedillo, Fleet Management and Analysis Assistant assigned to the 97th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, receives the 2017 Non-supervisory Civilian of the Year Award from Lt. Gen. Steve Kwast, Commander of Air Education and Training Command, during the AETC 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Awards banquet Feb. 22, 2018 in Orlando, Fla. Cedillo requisitioned five critical vehicles, coordinating transport from three bases and saving the Air Force $256,000 in replacement costs, scrutinized 4,000 repairs, completed 866 work orders and corrected 485 safety discrepancies, as well as won Wing Civilian of the Quarter as well as Flight Performer of the month for April and November 2017. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Norman)

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AETC names top performers of 2017

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Dear Beloved, 326th Training Squadron director of operations assigned to the 37th Training Wing at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, receives the Air Education and Training Command Field Grade Officer of the Year Award from Lt. Gen. Steve Kwast, Commander of AETC during the AETC 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Awards banquet Feb. 22, 2018 in Orlando, Fla. Beloved codified operations in two AETC instructions, and two group and squadron operating instructions. He coordinated 28 teams during 1,500 hours of work on 47 projects and policy updated leading to the 37 TRW receiving the Brewer Trophy. Beloved deployed during a show-of-force exercise, and led a 110-person Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Division during exercise Talon Saber 2017. He was also selected to lead a seven-member team that identified strategies to revitalize squadrons, briefing a 200-member board and the CSAF’s staff. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Norman)

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AETC names top performers of 2017

U.S. Air Force Capt. Ryan Caguillo, chief of command and control communications, assigned to the 81st Training Wing at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., receives the Air Education and Training Command Company Grade Officer of the Year Award from Lt. Gen. Steve Kwast, Commander of AETC during the AETC 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Awards banquet Feb. 22, 2018 in Orlando, Fla. Caguillo deployed for nine months in which he managed 4,500 communication links that enabled seamless command and control. He coordinated 15 joint terminal air strikes, linking planning requirements with combat assets and destroying four ISIS headquarters, three improvised explosive devise factories and three drug refineries. Caguillo also organized 12,000 mission documents released to 60 nations, which enabled 25,000 sorties vital to Iraqi liberation from ISIS. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Norman)

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AETC names top performers of 2017

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. DaMarcus Forney, Military Training Instructor assigned to the 37th Training Wing at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, receives the Air Education and Training Command MTI of the Year Award from Lt. Gen. Steve Kwast, Commander of AETC during the AETC 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Awards banquet, Feb. 22, 2018 in Orlando, Fla. Forney was the 331st Training Squadron’s first in parade for four quarters, and led 576 fitness training sessions that resulted in a 99 percent fitness assessment pass rate for his squadron. Forney trained eight flights, garnering four “BEAST Excellence” awards and produced 67 honor graduates, two top graduates, beating the AETC on-time graduate rate by one percent. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Norman)

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AETC names top performers of 2017

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jason M. Bernich, Superintendent of the base Honor Guard at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., receives the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Base Honor Guard Program Manager of the Year Award from Lt. Gen. Steve Kwast, Commander of Air Education and Training Command, during the AETC 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Awards banquet Feb. 22, 2018 in Orlando, Fla. Bernich shaped AETC’s largest Honor Guard area of responsibility, managing 740 honors, 9,500 man-hours and a $70,000 budget, codified funeral requests and liaised with 674 directors and 422 funeral homes, reducing processing time by 101 hours annually, as well as restructured a uniform exchange, outfitting 45 Civil Air Patrol and 122 Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps cadets. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Norman)

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AETC names top performers of 2017

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Stephen W. Hensen, a client systems supervisor and base Honor Guard member assigned to the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Ala., receives the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Base Honor Guard Member of the Year Award from Lt. Gen. Steve Kwast, commander of AETC, during the AETC 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Awards Banquet Feb. 22, 2018 in Orlando, Fla. Henson led 484 successful Honor Guard details traveling over 80,000 miles and dedicating 2,600 hours of his time; Earned Base Honor Guardsman for the first quarter; and Revised the base Honor Guard training plan, enhancing the skills of 20 fellow Honor Guardsmen. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Norman)

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AETC names top performers of 2017

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Timothy S. Ogan, First Sergeant assigned to the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, receives the Air Education and Training Command First Sergeant of the Year Award from Lt. Gen. Steve Kwast, Commander of AETC during the AETC 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Awards banquet Feb. 22, 2018 in Orlando, Fla. Ogan won Air University First Sergeant of the Year, led18 fellow First Sergeants and 22 committees as President of the First Sergeant Council, as well as completed six credits towards his Master’s Degree. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Norman)

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AETC names top performers of 2017

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Joshua Matias, Tower Chief Controller assigned to the 14th Operations Support Squadron at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., receives the Air Education and Training Command Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year Award from Lt. Gen. Steve Kwast, Commander of AETC during the AETC 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Awards banquet, Feb. 22, 2018, in Orlando, Fla. Matias acted as a Forward Deployed Superintendent, leading 107 Airmen through eight major combat operations, freeing 500,000 civilians in Mosul, pioneered first-ever Close Air Support targeting system into F-22 Raptors, syncing four agencies and three domains with emerging technology; and acted as a Boys and Girls Club Board of Directors member, managing a $786,000 budget and mentoring 240 children. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Norman)

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AETC names top performers of 2017

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Dylan A. Jack, a client systems technician assigned to the 82nd Communications Squadron from Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, receives the Air Education and Training Command Outstanding Airman of the Year Award from Lt. Gen. Steve Kwast, commander of AETC during the AETC 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Awards Banquet Feb. 22, 2018 in Orlando, Fla. Jack maintained $110 million cyber systems for 18,000 personnel and resolved 820 issues, deployed for six months to Air Force Central Command, and secured $230 million in projects, as well as lead a three-member team in completing six communications projects, worth $7 million. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Norman)

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AETC names top performers of 2017

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Bryan S. Albrecht, noncommissioned officer in charge of Radar, Airfield, & Weather Systems assigned to the 14th Operations Support Squadron at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., receives the Air Education and Training Command Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year Award from Lt. Gen. Steve Kwast, Commander of AETC during the AETC 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Awards banquet Feb. 22, 2018 in Orlando, Fla. Albrecht acted as Flight Chief for 9 months, managing 18 personnel, 770 inspections and 510 maintenance actions while also securing communications for 65,000 flights at AETC’s busiest airfield, directed 51 component distributions to four Major Commands, restoring navigation systems for five Wings and saved $622,000, as well as won Operation Group NCO of the Year. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Norman)

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AETC names top performers of 2017

Published Feb. 26, 2018
Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs

Nineteen Air Education and Training Command Airmen and civilians received AETC’s Outstanding Airman of the Year awards at a banquet in Orlando, Florida, Feb. 22.

The awards honoring outstanding achievement across AETC were held in conjunction with the 2018 Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium.

“These awardees tonight are but a snapshot of the incredible weapon system that is AETC,” said Chief Master Sgt. Gregory Smith, command chief of Air Force Special Operations Command and guest speaker for the event. “We recognize [these awards] can only happen when the operational conditions have been set which allow Airmen across the total force to reach their maximum potential – that’s what AETC is.”