7/28/2010 - RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) -- Air Force officials recently selected two winners of the 2010 National LATINA Symposium Distinguished Service Award.
The award honors the servicemember and civilian employee who demonstrate distinguished performance and display exceptional character as role models representing the Hispanic community with dignity and pride.
This year's winners are Master Sgt. Sandra Nunes, of the 56th Medical Group at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., and Julie Moran, of the National Air and Space Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
Sergeant Nunes managed pharmacy operations leading 38 people and executing a $13 million budget. She assisted the 69-member humanitarian mission, "Beyond the Horizon" as an interpreter in the Dominican Republic benefitting 8,600 local residents who received critical medical care. Additionally, she evaluated the Maricopa County Public Health Department's bioterrorist attack readiness during a 2009 exercise.
Ms. Moran led a team of 25 analysts in making sure data from the first $162 million component of the Space Based Infrared System would be accessible to the intelligence community on schedule. She also led the development of a $52 million system for advanced infrared intelligence processing and dissemination.
For more information on this and other Air Force recognition programs, visit the Air Force Personnel Center personnel services website at http://gum.afpc.randolph.af.mil or call the Total Force Service Center toll-free at 800-525-0102.
Comments
9/16/2010 9:04:05 PM ET It appears that the nominations were geared towards dollar amount. A person let's say a private or GS-3 can do phenominal things and reach every person in need deserving of this award. Yet do to position or work environment would never reach the dollar amount mentioned above. That is disappointing. In terms only those having access to a powerful job environment are looked at.
James, Fort Sam Houston
8/31/2010 6:04:48 PM ET I believe there should be one month dedicated to World Ethnicity as an education platform for all races religions etc. That would provide an opportunity for everyone to celebrate or educate others on their background. Now when you have a chance to recognize your subordinates for their hard work by way of awards... DO IT Don't sit back and cry about the award's label. READ the criteria... They do not say you have to be African American for the Tuskegee Amn Award and they do not say you have to be Latina for the Latina Award. There are TONS of awards out there that you can recognize your people with it shows you appreciate what they do for you. A pat on the back and a thank you are great but if you take the time to submit them for an award it shows them you're willing to work hard for them in return. It's now time for annual awards as well as 3rd quarter awards... How many award packages do you supervisors have drafted reviewed and ready to submit on behalf of your deserv
Gerry, AZ
8/16/2010 10:53:53 AM ET First, my congrats to the winners. Second, not sure if of you reside in the EO realm or not, but why is the criteria for civilian winners different? Civilian nominees must have sustained oustanding performance in one or more of the following: 1- embodied the qualities that are at the core of the services' mission, 2- assisted in creating opportunities and careers that supported and contributed to the advancement of DoD personnel including Hispanic Americans towards senior level positions, and 3- displayed exceptional character and represented their respective community with dignity and pride. Sounds like we are still slicing up the Total Force instead of becoming 'Airmen.'
JM, DC
8/15/2010 8:26:43 PM ET Sounds like this award is about advancing Latinas. It is an award based on racial overtones like it or not. We're better off without this kind of recognition for our folks.
Dave, Robins
8/15/2010 8:18:14 PM ET SMSgt Futrell Thanks for the updated info. However the story states that The award honors the servicemember and civilian employee who demonstrate distinguished performance and display exceptional character as role models representing the Hispanic community with dignity and pride. Keywords being Hispanic community. Sounds like a race thing to me.
MSgt W, Robins AFB GA
8/3/2010 12:38:05 AM ET Congrats to the winners. Please note that the nomination criteria if open to all based on those who, 1. embodied the qualities that are at the core of the services mission; 2. respected by their superiors and peers as leaders and upstanding service members, and, 3. displayed exceptional character and represented their respective community with dignity and pride.Not one word about race. Check into the award program and find out the criteria for nominees and submit those who most deserve it. You may be surprised to find that you take a lot for granted based on the title of the award and are missing opportunities to recognize your troops.
SMSgt Futrell, Holloman
7/30/2010 11:30:02 AM ET A house divided against itself cannot stand. I have a dream that my children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
Aaron, FAFB
7/30/2010 7:14:24 AM ET Pretty much agree with what everyone here has said. My addition to this is that you've also now given these individuals a large impact bullet on their performance reports that could only be received by their respective race color origion etc... It's good to recognize that people are different and that we are a diverse culture and country. Giving people an unfair advantage because of that IS discrimination. It's time that we moved on to what this country is really supposed to be about...that we are all American not that we are black white hispanic pacific islander, so on and so forth. Hopefully someone in some form of senior leadership reads these comments and gets the points that are trying to be made here.
JJ, TX
7/29/2010 9:33:57 PM ET Congrats to the individuals who stand out and do such great work for the AF first but not necessarily foremost. I was glad to see the comment section lit up with the same sentiments I was going to write about. Apparently common sense is not as dead as I thought. To answer Danny I think we're creating separation BY celebrating diversity. We honor a different heritage each month it seems but I noticed we never have anything to say about Caucasian History Month. I have personally found that offensive. But I digress. The point is that there's plenty of read on to honor top performers but their skin color should have NOTHING to do with it. Let's keep politics and special interests out of the military like we always should have done.
A1C, Guam
7/29/2010 1:51:51 PM ET In these days of diversity in the military it is disheartening to see that we still separate our recognition and awards. Why do we still do this? If we are to base an award on a particular culture then for the caucasion pupulation where is the causcasion female awards, the african american female awards, the asian female awards, the pacific islander female awards. You get my point i'm sure. These two wonderful women wholeheartedly deserve recognition, but let it be for AIR FORCE people doing good; not Hispanic ladies doing good things. Let's not separate our cultures and diversity by telling someone you don't qualify for a particular award because your not the right color creed or nationality.
USAF, San Antonio
7/29/2010 12:56:11 PM ET Race or heritage based awards do nothing more than create a division among the Air Force personnel. It segregates the races and drives us into packs of common races and heritages. When all of us went through basic or officer training we were taught to be an equal cohesive military unit. At our graduation we were not recognized based on our race or heritage. We were recognized based on our work as a team or top military performer such as distinguished graduate. If you do not have an award for other races or heritages that represents each of them equally ie - Italian German Irish American Indian Chinese Japanese Turkish Greek Muslim and every other race or heritage that is claimed upon entry into the Air Force you are discriminating against anyone who cannot receive an equal award based on their race or heritage. This is an unfair practice. These awards should not be mentioned in any performance report because it does not give an equal rating for others from other race
Ed, CA
7/29/2010 10:10:46 AM ET I applaud the two in question for winning an award-I am sure it was well deserved. One day soon, however, I hope there will not be a need nor desire for the Air Force to award anything based on race, heritage, gender, etc. Are we celebrating diversity or creating separation?
Danny, RAFL
7/29/2010 10:02:22 AM ET We need an award to recognize people who represent the Hispanic community with pride, I am sick and tired of everything being geared toward which race you are. I strongly suggest the Air Force distances itself from this kind of recognition and focus on ALL AF people, not just a particular race. That being said, I'm sure MSgt Nunes and Ms. Moran are outstanding folks who do great work. But let's recognize it for what it is. AF people doing great things for everyone.
