The Federal Asian Pacific American Council has awarded Senior Master Sgt. Francis Quiambao, 8th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels management flight superintendent, the 2019 FAPAC Uniformed Services Award.

Quiambao is scheduled to attend the FAPAC Uniformed Services Award Luncheon May 16 at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama, to receive the award for his outstanding efforts in promoting diversity and exceptional leadership in advancing the mission of his service to serve the public.

The Federal Asian Pacific American Council is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization representing the civilian and military Asian Pacific American employees in the federal and District of Columbia governments. It promotes equal opportunity and cultural diversity for Asian Pacific Americans within the federal and District of Columbia governments, and encourages the participation and advancement of Asian Pacific Americans in the government workforce.

Quiambao is responsible for leading the largest petroleum hub in the United States Forces Korea in receiving and distributing fuel, which accounts for 35 percent of the fuel consumed in the theater. As superintendent of the fuels management flight at Kunsan Air Base, Quiambao leads a diverse group of 46 active-duty Air Force members and eight South Korean civilian employees who work to support the U.S. mission in South Korea.

Quiambao is currently overseeing the South Korean air force’s first hot-refueling capability through a type-4 fuel hydrant system. This monumental first in refueling capability is unprecedented at Kunsan AB and the entire Korean Peninsula. The cross flow of communication initiated by Quiambao spurred real world opportunities for the U.S. Air Force and South Korean air force to share equipment and aircraft refueling concepts to better support the national defense strategy, substantively multiplying the combined combat power of U.S. and South Korean air forces.

“The hot-refueling by a hydrant system enables us to quick-turn the jets, and this project has us working with our (South Korean air force) counterparts often,” Quiambao said. “We have Airmen in my shop who’ve never left the U.S., and working with the (South Korean air force) exposes them to a different culture and way of working together, learning from them as they learn from us. It’s a unique experience.”

Quiambao, who takes great pride in what he does for the Air Force, is the first in his family to be in the military.

“I was born in the Philippines and grew up in Guam before I moved to the U.S. and joined the Air Force,” Quiambao said. “The military has always been my dream since I was a kid, and I’m living (that dream) now. I have sons and it feels good knowing that what I’m doing is not only for the (Air Force), but for them.”

Outside of his day-to-day duties, Quiambao also actively participates in community activities, such as Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the Filipino basketball league at Kunsan AB, acting as an ambassador between the uniformed service and the community. He also has created opportunities for his Airmen and Korean civilian counterparts to experience culturally significant sites and gain a better understanding of their host nation through hiking trips.

Fostering an innovative and harmonious environment between the uniformed services and Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, Quiambao supports the full integration and promotion of all uniformed services personnel including the civilian workforce.

Quiambao is looking forward to more opportunities and experiences at his next duty station in June at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina.

The Uniformed Services Awards recognize and honor members of the armed forces, Public Health Service commissioned corps, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration commissioned corps and Quiambao is honored to have received the award and recognition for the work that’s been done.

“This award is not just for me, but for everyone’s hard work here,” Quiambao said. “These guys come in and work hard to make this place better and that’s all I can ask for.”