Banquet spotlights best of the best

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Charles Dickens
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  Blood, sweat and tears go in to the work that Airmen do for their offices, units, bases and nation, yet they are rarely recognized for going above and beyond the call of duty. Awards are a way to recognize and reinforce, not only to encourage and help career progression, but to boost overall morale.

During the 2012 Columbus Air Force Base Annual Awards Banquet Feb. 21, Airmen were named the best of the best in 15 different categories based on how Columbus AFB Produces Pilots, Advances Airmen and Feeds the Fight.

"Our Airmen; enlisted, officer, civilians, and volunteers do some amazing things throughout the year that not only make us successful in our mission, but make us a better, more capable and effective Air Force," said Chief Master Sgt. Vance Kondon, 14th Flying Training Wing Command Chief. "Their efforts in their duty sections, throughout the wing, and in the local community have made a tremendous impact on our base, families, and the Air Force.

A few of the accomplishments of Team BLAZE Airmen include developing a program with user guides, instructional videos and online trackers that was named as an Air Force Best Practice, making significant changes to airfield lighting to ensure that there were zero mishaps in over 300,000 flight traffic movements or accumulating hundreds of volunteer hours lead to becoming an annual award winner.

Aside from highlighting the achievements of Airmen, the awards ceremony also focuses on the traditions of the Air Force.

"The banquet not only showcases the wing's best of the best for the year, but validates our key contributions in defining our wing's vision as the premier pilot training wing and community; developing the world's best Airmen," said Master Sgt. Dante Arcenal, Annual Awards Banquet Chair. "The Annual Awards Banquet is an important part in continuing an Air Force tradition."

The fact that an annual banquet that awards Airmen for doing things on base and in their community shows that the Air Force core competencies are being held highly.

Kondon said, "Our Annual Awards Banquet is our way of celebrating that, by bringing all of our nominees, their loved ones, peers and base leadership together for a formal event that salutes the incredible accomplishments and achievements of our Airmen."

Maj. Robert Faustmann
50th Flying Training Squadron
2012 Field Grade Officer of the Year

2nd Lt. Shedrick Bridgeforth
14th Comptroller Squadron
2012 Flight Commander of the Year

Capt. Lawrence Ervin
14th Medical Support Squadron
Company Grade Officer of the Year

1st Lt. Bryan Hladik
50th Flying Training Squadron
2012 Instructor Pilot of the Year

Master Sgt. Timothy Pitt
14th Flying Training Wing
2012 SNCO of the Year

Tech. Sgt. Christopher Calo
14th Medical Support Squadron
2012 NCO of the Year

Airman 1st Class Tomas Lavigne
14th Medical Support Squadron
2012 Airman of the Year

Airman 1st Class Tomas Lavigne
14th Medical Support Squadron
2012 Honor Guardsman of the Year

Will Gray Jr.
14th Mission Support Group
2012 Civilian Category I of the Year

Emilie Warren
14th Contracting Squadron
2012 Civilian Category II of the year

Robert Gable
14th Contracting Squadron
2012 Civilian Category III of the Year

Jeanette Morphew
Wife of Master Sgt. Daniel Morphew
2012 Volunteer of the Year

Richard Marra
14th Communications Squadron
2012 Flight Chief of the Year

Master Sgt. Shawn Andrews
14th Operations Group
2012 First Sergeant of the Year

Senior Airman Brandon Smith
14th Operations Support Squadron
2012 Honor Guard Program Manager of the Year