Air Force civilians garner 22 Presidential Rank Awards

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski
  • Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  Twenty-two civilian Airmen earned special recognition in a ceremony held at the Women's Memorial at Arlington Cemetery April 17.

The selected Air Force senior executives and senior professionals received the 2008 Presidential Rank Award for sustained achievement in government service. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz presided over the event.

"These honors formally recognize what your leaders, contemporaries and subordinates surely have known for some time now, that each of you have dedicated your careers to serving something bigger than yourselves," General Schwartz told the awardees. "Your talented leadership has contributed immeasurably to the public good."

The 2008 Air Force recipients of the Distinguished Presidential Rank award are:
-- Kenneth K. Dumm
-- Donald B. Paul
-- Barbara A. Westgate
-- Patricia J. Zarodkiewicz

The 2008 Air Force recipients of the Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive/Senior Professional are:
-- David C. Bond
-- Charles G. Carpenter
-- Alok Das
-- Robert Edward Dawes
-- Joseph de Penne Rouge
-- Robert E. Duignan 
-- Sheila Earle
-- David H. Eskins
-- Martha J. Evans
-- Barry L. Farmer
-- Jay H. Jordan
-- Martin M. Mazick
-- Joseph M. McDade Jr.
-- Patsy J. Reeves
-- Joe Sciabica
-- Dr. Larry B. Simpson
-- Barbara Jo White-Olson
-- Patricia M. Young

The awards, administered by the Office of Personnel Management and the Office of the Secretary of Defense, are presented annually and are open to all government agencies. Each agency can nominate up to 9 percent of the career senior executive service employees and senior professionals. The president of the United States reviews the recommendations and picks the award winners.

Only 5 percent of the SES and equivalents, who make up approximately .03 percent of the total civilian federal workforce, may be awarded the meritorious-level rank award. Only 1 percent may be awarded the distinguished-level award.

Recipients in both categories receive a framed certificate signed by the president, a lapel pin and a lump-sum bonus of either 35 percent or 20 percent of their basic pay, respectively. The award has the largest pay bonus associated with an award for the federal government.

For more information about the Presidential Rank Awards, a full list of this year's winners or information on how to nominate an employee, visit the OPM Website at www.opm.gov.

(2nd Lt. Gina Vaccaro contributed to this story)

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