Airmen receive Sijan Air Force leadership award

  • Published
WASHINGTON (AFPN) --  The 2006 Lance P. Sijan Air Force Leadership Award was presented to four Airmen by Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. John D.W. Corley in a ceremony Aug. 1 at the Pentagon.

The award, named for the first U.S. Air Force Academy graduate to receive the Medal of Honor, is given annually to recognize Airmen who demonstrated outstanding leadership abilities while assigned to organizations at the wing level or below.

The recipients were Lt. Col. Eric Axelbank in the senior officer category, Capt. Matthew Allen in the junior officer category, Senior Master Sgt. David John in the senior enlisted category and Tech. Sgt. Shannon Cruz in the junior enlisted category.

-- Colonel Axelbank is the commander of the largest logistics readiness squadron in the Air Force, the 18th LRS at Kadena Air Base, Japan. His unit became the best in the Air Force by earning the 2005 Air Force Daedalian Major General Carter LRS of the Year trophy. He also led his unit in achieving an excellent rating during a Pacific Air Forces unit compliance inspection, despite 20 percent of his unit being deployed. Colonel Axelbank's was the first unit of its type to achieve that rating in two years.

-- Captain Allen is a special tactics officer assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron at Pope Air Force Base, N.C. While deployed, he was responsible for making life or death decisions during more than 20 combat missions in support of operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. His leadership and decision making was credited as being key to the success of 444 special operations assaults. Captain Allen was credited with successfully recovering 19 Americans after a helicopter crash and six Soldiers during separate combat operations.

-- Sergeant John is assigned to the 3rd Security Forces Squadron at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. While deployed to Iraq, he was responsible for more than 800 convoys in support of OIF. His leadership resulted in the convoys traveling more than 450,000 miles across Iraq without a single casualty or injury. At his home station, Sergeant John positioned Elmendorf AFB to receive the C-17 Globemaster III and F-22 Raptor two years ahead of schedule.

-- Sergeant Cruz is a joint terminal attack controller assigned to the 5th Air Support Operations Squadron at Fort Lewis, Wash. During his deployment to Afghanistan, while under fire, he thwarted a 100-strong insurgent attack by directing close-air-support missions that released 10 guided bombs directly onto the enemy. The special forces team leader credited Sergeant Cruz with saving the team from a sure and inescapable death.

"I am humbled and honored to present this award," General Corley said. "(Captain Sijan) evaded capture for 45 days on the ground in an exceptionally harsh environment. These four men are cut from the same kind of cloth. They embody the warrior ethos and the proud legacy of Lance Sijan. It's the selflessness of these men, and others like them, that makes the United States the best place on earth to live."

(Air Force Personnel Center News Service contributed to this article)

Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link)

Click here to view the comments/letters page