Ellsworth's newest CCAF graduates

ELLSWORTH AFB, S.D. -- Sixty-five Ellsworth personnel received their Community College of the Air Force Associate degree diplomas during a graduation ceremony held at the Dakota's Club on October 20. CCAF is the largest accredited community college in the United States. To date, 243,000 people have graduated from CCAF with more than 291,000 degrees awarded since its inception in 1972.

At the ceremony the Air Force Association announced two Pitsenbarger Award recipients: Tech. Sgt. Robert Rogalski and Staff Sgt. Erik Utrecht.

The Pitsenbarger Awards are one-time awards of $500 given to top Air Force CCAF graduates. The award is named in honor of the Medal of Honor winner, Airman 1st Class William Pitsenbarger, a pararescue jumper who was killed in the line of duty while rendering aid to an Army unit during the Vietnam War. An additional award of $150 was given by the Top Three Association to Staff Sgt. Joseph Sharpe.

Aerospace Ground Equipment Technology
Staff Sgt. William Craddock II
Staff Sgt. Aaron Janssen
Staff Sgt. Nicholas Pravecek

Aircraft Armament Systems Technology
Master Sgt. Martin Kisely
Tech. Sgt. Kevin Crager
Staff Sgt. Joseph Sharpe
Senior Airman Robert Garcia

Airport Resource Management
Master Sgt. Jeffrey Hillard

Airway Science
Senior Airman Brian Fenton

Aviation Maintenance Technology
Staff Sgt. David Zurenda

Avionic Systems Technology
Staff Sgt. Bryan Anderson
Staff Sgt. Jeremy Boyd
Staff Sgt. Michael Hunter
Staff Sgt. Celso Perez
Senior Airman Carlton Abrams

Bioenvironmental Engineering Technology
Tech. Sgt. William Condon

Criminal Justice
Staff Sgt. Samuel Crayton
Staff Sgt. Erik Utrecht

Construction Technology
Staff Sgt. James Bialota
Staff Sgt. Richard Page

Contracts Management
Master Sgt. William McKeon
Tech. Sgt. Thomas McGovern

Ecological Controls
Master Sgt. James Radley

Education and Training Management
Master Sgt. James Radley

Electronic Systems Technology
Staff Sgt. Kelly Anderson
Staff Sgt. Kenneth Dallies
Staff Sgt. Daniel Schuelke
Senior Airman David Moore
Senior Airman Luke Weter

Explosive Ordnance Disposal
Staff Sgt. Kimberly Hirst

Information Management
Tech. Sgt. Aleta Raney
Staff Sgt. Dellana Perez

Information Systems Technology
Master Sgt. Michael Andrews
Tech Sgt. Brock Bowman
Staff Sgt. Raymond Confer
Staff Sgt. Anthony Holloway
Staff Sgt. Richard Page
Staff Sgt. Dellana Perez
Staff Sgt. David Zurenda
Senior Airman Aaron Moyer

Instructor of Technology and Military Science
Tech. Sgt. Robert Rogalski
Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Waddell
Staff Sgt. Jason Parent
Staff Sgt. Nicholas Pravecek
Staff Sgt. Erik Utrecht

Logistics
Staff Sgt. Jeremy Aumiller
Senior Airman Athanassios Ververis

Fire Science
Senior Airman Francis Bierman

Maintenance Production Management
Tech. Sgt. Kip Holscher
Tech. Sgt. John Nickel
Staff Sgt. Cheryl Lay
Staff Sgt. Mark Pirie
Staff Sgt. Sean Sanders

Human Resource Management
Master Sgt. Paul Brown
Master Sgt. Michael Kadrlik
Tech. Sgt. Ivan Martinez
Staff Sgt. Detarsha Jemison

Mechanical and Electrical Technology
Staff Sgt. Michael Kadrlik
Senior Airman Michael Estela

Medical Laboratory Technology
Staff Sgt. Caleb Martinez

Munitions Systems Technology
Staff Sgt. Charles McBride

Survival Equipment
Staff Sgt. Christopher Shadday

Weather Technology
Staff Sgt. Richie Berge

Vehicle Maintenance
Staff Sgt. Thomas Courchaine
Staff Sgt. Mark Pirie
Staff Sgt. Kyle Polencheck
Senior Airman Milo Blanco

Transportation
Staff Sgt. Raymond Confer
Senior Airman Elva Campos