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AETC announces 2009 Air University faculty, "Blue Dart" writers

  • Published
  • By Carl Poteat
  • Air University Public Affairs
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. --  Air Education and Training Command officials awarded Air University's best faculty members and "Blue Dart" writers for 2009 May 22 at Maxwell Air Force Base's Air War College.

Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz, AETC commander and former Air University commander, presented the AETC Educator of the Year awards, the Society of Strategic Air Command AU Faculty Excellence awards and the "Blue Dart" awards recognizing AU faculty and students for their work.

General Lorenz said, while commanding at Air University, he felt the need for an awards program for writing. He said someone may have the best ideas "in their head, but it's not any good if you can't articulate them." Therefore, the "Blue Dart" awards were established in 2006 to recognize the best opinion/editorial writing submitted by faculty and students over the academic year.

Presenting with General Lorenz was Lt. Gen. Allen G. Peck, current AU commander.  Emceeing the event was Dr. Bruce Murphy, AU chief academic officer. The Military Officers Association of America and the Air University Foundation sponsored the ceremony.

Dr. Murphy said the AETC Educator of the Year awards are given to the top officer, enlisted and civilian faculty member at AU for the academic year July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008.

Capt. Bryan J. Cooper received the officer AETC Educator of the Year award.  Captain Cooper is an instructor of Engineering Management at the Civil Engineering and Service School, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

Captain Cooper's accomplishments include providing professional continuing education to 538 military and civilian students in 19 courses.  His contributions to the base civil engineers' highest priority course resulted in 169 combat-ready engineers.

Senior Master Sgt. Jose Barraza received the enlisted AETC Educator of the Year award.  Sergeant Barraza is an instructor at Maxwell-Gunter AFB's Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy.

Sergeant Barraza accomplishments include delivering  264 hours of SNCOA and 57 hours of Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course curriculum to more than 130 SNCOs. As manager of the military professional module, he oversaw curriculum improvements of lessons impacting 2,200 senior enlisted leaders.

Dr. Harold R. Winton received the civilian AETC Educator of the Year award. Dr. Winton is a professor of Military Theory and History at AU's School of Advanced Air and Space Studies. 

Dr. Winton developed the school's curriculum and formulated and taught military theory and history.  He published a book on corps-level leadership in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II that "will inform thinking about warfare and the integration of air and ground power for generations to come," according to his citation.

On behalf of the Society of Strategic Air Command, the AU Foundation presented an AU faculty excellence award that recognized "commitment to fostering an understanding of the continuing need for strong, modern air and space forces and air and space power through excellence in teaching." 

This year Blue Dart grand prize winners received a trophy and $750.  Other Blue Dart winners received $75.  Dr. Murphy said appreciation and a special Blue Dart lapel pin were given to more than 80 faculty and staff members who assisted by reviewing the Blue Dart submissions.

Grand Prize Blue Dart awards went to AFIT student Capt. Benjamin Ramsey for "VolP: I can hear you now, but so can the enemy;" and AWC faculty member Dr. Douglas Peifer for "Moving Beyond Rhetoric. Furnishing U.S. Air, Space, and Communication Capabilities to Genocide Intervention Operations."

Other Blue Dart award winners and their papers include:
- Faculty from AFIT: Adedeji Badiru, "Work measurement strategy is essential for AFSO21 success;" Joesph Carl, "Precision airdrop calls for new doctrine on close air supply;" Daniel Gallagher and Ronald Coutu, "Electronic noise could eliminate terrorist's Improvised Explosive Device advantage;" Andrew Nye, "Material advancements for the next generation of gas turbine engines"
- Faculty from Officer Training School: Matthew Donovan, "Diversification and the  institutional paranoia of the U.S. Air Force"
- Faculty from Squadron Officer College: John Farrell, "Clash of cultures: Air Force vs. scholarship"
- Faculty from AWC: Nikolas Gardner, "Outsourcing the role of military advisor could have dangerous consequences;" Dale Hill, "The Lagrangian Heights;" Mark Stout, "Four satellite shoot-down myths"
- Faculty from Air Command and Staff College: Judith Gentleman, "Getting serious about our security partnership with Mexico"
- Faculty from the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies: Stephen Wright, "No third rails: U.S. nuclear deterrence posture" and "Shifting the debate on defense"
- Students from AWC:  Col. Lavanson Coffey III, "Big brother, where art thou;" Lt. Col. William Pinter, "Emerging anti-access challenges and airpower contributions;" Col. Gregory Roberts, "Is the NATO airborne early warning and control force still relevant;" Lt. Col. Steve Schaick, "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition"
- Student from ACSC: Larry Colby, "Letter to the editor"
- Students from AFIT: Capt. Nicholas Coleman, "Micro aerial flying devices: Changing the battlefield perspective;" Jerrod McComb, "Biofuelish;" Capt. Marshall Rogers, "Investigating the feasibility of using a gravity gradiometer for passive aircraft navigation and terrain avoidance"
- Student, Air Force Fellow: James Hanna, "Why the Air Force should get rid of the ABU"
- Student from SAASS:  Maj. Jason Lamb, "Airpower: The decisive advantage in irregular warfare" and "Air Force Intelligence: Force divider or force multiplier."