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CONR-1st AF celebrates annual award winners

  • Published
  • By Angela Pope
  • AFNORTH Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Canadian and American Airmen and civilian employees from detachments, squadrons and wings around North America gathered at Tyndall Air Force Base Feb. 24 to celebrate 2010's annual award winners for Continental U.S. NORAD Region and 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern).

The awards banquet, which was held at the Horizons Community Center here, took place on the heels of the 1st AF Commander's Conference, affording the winners' commanders the chance to be on hand for the celebration.

"It is with a great amount of pride and admiration that I present these awards to such highly deserving and dedicated people who take our homeland defense and defense support of civil authorities missions so seriously," said Maj. Gen. Garry C. Dean, CONR-1AF (AFNORTH) commander. "The competition was stiff, but our winners here tonight should walk away feeling an extra sense of pride because the spotlight is on you and your significant and lasting accomplishments. I extend my heartiest congratulations to each of you for a job extremely well done."

The special guest speaker for the banquet was former Florida Congressman Allen Boyd who procured several million dollars for the construction of the Killey Center for Homeland Operations where Headquarters, 1st AF, is housed, and the 601st Air and Space Operations Center.

"I'm a big sports fan, and some of you might remember a New York Yankees coach by the name of Billy Martin," Mr. Boyd said. "Billy was quite a colorful character, and I once read a quote from him that went, 'There's nothing greater in the world than when somebody on the team does something good, and everyone gathers around to pat him on the back.' Well, as a former soldier who also was in the U.S. Capitol when we were attacked on 9/11, I am here tonight to pat you on the back for your superb efforts in protecting our nation and keeping America safe. No amount of hardware can truly express my thanks to each and every one of you for your sacrifices."

The CONR-1st AF (AFNORTH) winners will go on to compete against others in their respective categories at Air Combat Command, NORAD and U.S. Northern Command and the National Guard Bureau.

The annual award winners are:

CONR-AFNORTH

Capt. Jared Caffey, Company Grade Officer of the Year
Master Sgt. Gerald Babcock, Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
Master Sgt. Tiffiney Kellum, First Sergeant of the Year
Staff Sgt. Kara Farkas, NCO of the Year
Senior Airman Kailaigh Hutchens, Airman of the Year
Gregory Penning, Category II Civilian of the Year
Linda Strickland, Category I Civilian of the Year

Headquarters, 1st AF

Capt. Kenneth Moerscher, CGO of the Year
Master Sgt. Gerald Babcock, Senior NCO of the Year
Tech. Sgt. Diane Brown, NCO of the Year
Airman 1st Class Amanda Hanna, Airman of the Year
Gregory Penning, Category II Civilian of the Year
Linda Strickland, Category I Civilian of the Year

1st AF Warrior of the Year

Lt. Col. Moon Milham, Air Sovereignty Alert Pilot of the Year
1st Lt. Bradley Dunford, Command and Control Warrior of the Year - Officer
Senior Master Sgt. Paul Martin, ASA Command Post Controller of the Year
Master Sgt. Jose Rijos-Ortiz, ASA Security Forces Member of the Year
Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Rosebrock, ASA Maintainer of the Year
Staff Sgt. Matthew Cummings, Command and Control Warrior of the Year - Enlisted
180th Fighter Wing, ASA Unit of the Year
601st Air and Space Operations Center, Command and Control Unit of the Year