Maintenance professionals recognized at annual banquet

  • Published
  • By Airman Donald C. Knechtel
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  Airmen, family members and base leaders attended the annual Maintenance Professional of the Year banquet in the Pride Hangar March 18, 2016, to recognize maintenance personnel for the dedication they put forth in their daily duties.

During the event, individual Airmen assigned to the 28th Maintenance Group were recognized for their exceptional contributions to mission readiness during 2015.

"It takes the collective efforts of all the men and women of the 28th MXG to put this precision airpower in the hands of our operators," said Master Sgt. Nathan Bryan, 28th MXG weapons standardization superintendent. "When we launch this beautiful aircraft, it strikes fear into the heart of the enemy and saves the lives of the coalition ground troops. So tonight, we come together in a unified spirit to celebrate the maintenance excellence of this group!"

The banquet is an annual event hosted to honor Airmen and what they do year-round.

"It's doing your job and doing it well," said Master Sgt. Desiree Bates, 28th Maintenance Operations Flight superintendent. "This award is to recognize what they have done to help make the mission happen and keep our jets in the air."

Bates mentioned this banquet is not like what you would expect. Most banquets people go to are very formal, while the Ellsworth MPOY welcomes nerf guns, turning the Pride Hangar into an all-out nerf war during the social hour. She added that of all the bases she has been assigned, none of them had a banquet quite like this.

"I think this is awesome," said Tech. Sgt. Philip Graves, 28th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron support programs manager and the winner of the NCO category. "Attending an award ceremony like this does a lot to raise the morale here."

Graves stated if you go in to work with a good attitude, put forth your best every single day and just try your hardest, people are going to recognized you for it.

"Just like with anything else in life, you get what you put into it," Graves added. "If you're going to half-heartedly do your job, that's what you're going to get. [But when] you carry yourself with confidence and put forth your best effort, and every single day and you have a good attitude about things, then you're going to succeed no matter what."

The 2015 Maintenance Professionals of the Year award winners are:

Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Aircraft Maintenance Award:

Technician category: Senior Airman Antione Smith, 28th AMXS.

Technician Supervisor category: Master Sgt. Harold Vandermolen, 28th AMXS.

Supervisor Manager category: Senior Master Sgt. Christopher Bilbrey, 28th Munitions Squadron.

Company Grade Officer Manager category: 1st Lt. Matthew Eldridge, 28th MUNS.

Field Grade Officer Manager category: Maj. Erik Marcov, 28th MUNS.

Weapons Load Crew of the Year: 37th Aircraft Maintenance Unit: Weapons Load Crew 23; Staff Sgt. Chad Schultz, Airman 1st Class Joseph Knapick, and Senior Airmen Antione Smith and James Whelan.

Training Manager of the Year: Staff Sgt. Tiara Johnson, 28th AMXS.

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Thomas N. Barnes Award for the Dedicated Crew Chief of the Year: Staff Sgt. Joshua Free, 28th AMXS.

Master Sgt. Paul J. Leonard Maintenance Professional of the Year:

Airman category: Airman 1st Class Stephanie Jerome, 28th MUNS.

NCO category: Staff Sgt. Tyler Miller, 28th AMXS.

Senior NCO category: Master Sgt. Ashley Youngblood, 28th Maintenance Squadron.

Company Grade Officer category: Capt. Travis Lytton, 28th AMXS