Annual Awards

Lt. Gen. David Deptula, Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Headquarters U.S. Air Force and guest speaker for the 33d Fighter Wing Annual Awards, congratulates Tech. Sgt. Jodi Trombetti, wife of Master Sgt. Steven Zellers, 728th Air Control Squadron first sergeant who won First Sergeant of the Year for 2007. Sergeant Trombetti accepted the award on behalf of her husband who is currently deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Air Force Photo)

Annual Awards

More than 500 members of the 33d Fighter Wing gathered together at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort Feb. 2 to recognize the 54 Airmen who were selected as the best of the best for 2007. The Airmen competed in the categories of best Airman, Non-commissioned Officer, Senior Non-commissioned Officer, First Sergeant, Company Grade Officer, Field Grade Officer and Civilian Category II.

Wing's brightest stars shine

Published Feb. 13, 2008
By Staff Sgt. Bryan Franks
33d Fighter Wing Public Affairs

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The 33d Fighter Wing recognized those in the wing that "Soared with the Stars" during the 2007 annual award ceremony at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort Feb. 2.

More than 500 people packed the banquet hall to cheer on the Airmen who were selected as the best of the best for 2007.

There were 54 Airmen recognized for their accomplishments and service to the wing, but only a handful would walk away as annual award winners in the categories of best Airman, Non-commissioned Officer, Senior Non-commissioned Officer, First Sergeant, Company Grade Officer, Field Grade Officer and Civilian Category II.

The winners are: Senior Airman Sarah Weber, 33d Maintenance Operations Squadron; Staff Sgt. Natalie Carlton, 33d Maintenance Squadron; Senior Master Sgt. Patrick McMahon, 728th Air Control Squadron; Master Sgt. Steven Zellers; Capt. Oryan Joseph, 33d Maintenance Squadron; Maj. Robert Pekarek, 60th Fighter Squadron and Joe Moran, 33d Operations Support Squadron were all selected as the best for 2007.

"All of our Airmen did a great job this year," said Chief Master Sgt. Doug Kesler, 33d Fighter Wing Command Chief Master Sergeant. "But we can only select one as our best in each category. I wish we could honor more because we have the best Airmen in the Air Force."

The wing's annual award ceremony had one of the best turn-outs Chief Kesler as ever seen.

"We had a fantastic turn out this year," said Chief Kesler. "We had a lot of Airmen working long hours to make this annual award ceremony a tremendous success."