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Best 82nd TRW Airmen recognized at annual awards

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Candy Miller
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Team Sheppard members in the 82nd Training Wing were announced at the Sheppard Club during the wing's 2009 Annual Awards banquet March 5.

Although only 14 of about 70 nominees were selected as the best in their perspective category, all contributed to the wing's 78,000 graduates in more than 100 specialties at more than 50 different locations around the world in 2009.

Command Chief of Air Education and Training Command, Chief Master Sgt. Robert Tappana said nominees that did not win in their category should not be disappointed.

"You have already won at multiple levels," he said to all nominees because they reached the wing-level awards. "You are proof that the Air Force's core values are on track."

The command chief said the core values and all the words used in them, are vital and should not be generalized to "integrity, service and excellence."

"It doesn't matter if you are good at what you do if you can't be trusted," the chief said. "That's why integrity is first."

He said Airmen have to put their service before themselves when the mission dictates, but the second core value should not be misconstrued with 'service instead of self.'

Chief Tappana said the nominees were there because they honored the third value of excellence without forgetting "in all you do."

"If students need 70 percent to pass, it's only okay if they were trying and studying their hardest," he said. "The people here have done all the work they possibly could."

The best of the best in the 82nd TRW will represent the wing at the Second Air Force Annual Awards. The numbered Air Force's winners will challenge other top Airmen for the AETC-level award. The AETC champions will then compete for recognition by the Air Force.

The 82nd TRW winners for 2009 are as follows:

· Airman 1st Class Keenan Mondragon, 82nd Security Forces Squadron, won the Airman of the Year award.

· Tech. Sgt. Angel Armendariz, 364th Training Squadron, won the NCO of the Year award.

· Master Sgt. Matthew Sabo, 28th Maintenance Squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.,won the Senior NCO of the Year award.

· 1st Lt. Robert Smalley, 882nd Training Support Squadron, won the Company Grade Officer of the Year award.

· Staff Sgt. Phillip Baham, 366th TRS, won the Military Volunteer of the Year award.

· Jason Durst, 82nd Training Group, won the Civilian Volunteer of the Year award.

· Marta Garcia, 82nd Dental Squadron, won the Civilian Category I of the Year award.

· Jeffrey Pittman, 361st TRS, won the Civilian Category II of the Year award.

· Linda Howard, 82nd Force Support Squadron, won the Civilian Supervision Category I of the Year award.

· Robin Parrish, 82nd Medical Operations Squadron, won the Civilian Supervison Category II of the Year award.

· Senior Airman Joab Ilos, 82nd Medical Support Squadron, won the Honor Guard Airman of the Year award.

· Tech. Sgt. Christopher Huntington, 361st TRS, won the Honor Guard NCO of the Year award.

· Master Sgt. Regan Crowder, 982nd Training Group, won the First Sergeant of the Year award.