AETC Airmen honored at AFA

  • Published
  • By Capt. Beau Downey
  • Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (AFNS) --  Five Air Education and Training Command Airmen, and one AETC unit, were honored for their outstanding achievement at the opening ceremonies of the 2017 Air Force Association Air Space and Cyber Conference Sept. 18, 2017.
 
Lt. Gen. Steven Kwast, Maj. Matthew Brock, 1st Lt. Owen Caron, Cadet Alexander Jones and Cadet Casey Owen received various awards as part of a ceremony recognizing Airmen from around the Air Force.
 
Kwast, commander and president of Air University, received the Hoyt S. Vandenberg Award for his efforts in educating Airmen under his command. Previous winners of the award include retired Gen. Carl Spaatz, former Air Force chief of staff, and retired Lt. Gen. James Doolittle.
 
Brock, 59th Medical Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, received the Paul W. Meyers award for his efforts as director of the Air Force's largest sleep center. The award is given to the medical corps officer who made the most significant contribution to the continued good health of the men and women of the Air Force. His work in advancing the recognition and treatment of sleep disorders in the Air Force, Department of Defense and the civilian community was shared with two international publications, as well as covered in a video series, a book and six presentations.
 
Caron, 81st Training Wing, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, received the Juanita Redmond Award for his work delivering high quality healthcare and mentoring fellow officers and enlisted personnel. The award is given to the Air Force company grade officer nurse who provided a significant contribution to the healthcare of an individual or family, excellence in clinical nursing or improvement in nursing care.
 
Owen, Eau Claire Composite Squadron, Wisconsin, received the Civil Air Patrol Award for his work in his squadron's aerospace education program. Over the past year, Owen volunteered more than 60 hours to the Science Olympiad Program, aimed at improving science, technology, engineering and math education across the nation.
 
Jones, Texas A&M University, posthumously received the award for ROTC Cadet of the Year for his efforts as a recognized leader, scholar, athlete and volunteer. Jones, who was on the dean's list every semester of his college tenure, served as the sergeant major for the Texas Aggie band and was an ROTC flight commander.
 
The Jeanne M. Holm Center for Officer Accessions and Citizen Development received the Gen. Mark A. Welsh III One Air Force Award for innovative process and course consolidation of officer accession and professional development training programs.