2006 Public Affairs Achievement Awards announced Published May 8, 2007 WASHINGTON (AFNEWS) -- On behalf of Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley, Brig. Gen. Michelle Johnson, director of Public Affairs, announced the 2006 Public Affairs Achievement Awards. "My heartiest congratulations to all of this year's nominees and recipients," she said. "I salute (you) for serving our Air Force with great distinction. These awards recognize your high standards of excellence and the hard work you do every day." Unit and program award winners are: - Brig. Gen. Harry J. Dalton Jr., Award for the outstanding major command PA program supporting the Air Force mission: United States Air Forces in Europe Public Affairs, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. - Large unit outstanding PA program: 316th Wing Public Affairs, Andrews Air Force Base, Md. - Small unit outstanding PA program: 100th Air Refueling Wing PA, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England - Community Relations Program: 48th Fighter Wing PA, RAF Lakenheath, England - Media Relations Program: Air Force National Media Outreach Office, New York - Internal Information Program: 21st Space Wing PA, Peterson AFB, Colo. - Broadcast Operations Program: Detachment 7, Air Force News Agency, Incirlik AB, Turkey - Major H.H. (Hap) Arnold Award for special achievement for planned single event, program or product: 305th Air Mobility Wing PA, McGuire AFB, N.J. for "Sesame Workshop: When parents are deployed" - The Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public Affairs Director's Award for special achievement in a crisis situation: 3rd Air Force PA (then 16th AF/PA), Ramstein AB, for response to the Lebanon non-combatant evacuation operation. - Air Force Public Affairs Special Achievement For Commander Support: Col. Murrell Stinnette, 39th Air Base Wing commander, Incirlik AB Individual award recipients are: - "Best of the Best:" Staff Sgt. Tara O'Brien, Det. 6, AFNEWS, Lajes Field, Azores. This award recognizes the outstanding officer, civilian, or enlisted person from all nominated bandsmen, broadcasters, and public affairs professionals. The recipient is selected on the basis of professional excellence and significant contributions to the Air Force mission. - Outstanding PA Field Grade Officer: (a) NAF and above: Maj. Brenda Campbell, SAF/PA, Pentagon (b) Wing: Maj. David M. Kurle, 442nd FW PA, Whiteman AFB, Mo. - "Capt. Bradley R. Schuldt Award" for Outstanding PA Company Grade Officer (Captain Schuldt was the 7th Air Division public affairs officer when he was killed in an aircraft accident while en route to support Operation Desert Shield): (a) NAF and above: Capt. Davina Petermann, USAFE/PA, Ramstein AB (b) Wing: Capt. Howard Capps Jr., 315th Airlift Wing, Charleston AFB, S.C. - Outstanding PA Senior Grade Civilian (GS-13 TO GS-15): NAF and above: Joanne Rumple, Air Force Materiel Command PA, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio - Outstanding PA Intermediate Grade Civilian (GS-11 TO GS-12): (a) NAF and above: Meade Warthen, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. (b) Wing -- Lynis Cox, Air University PA, Maxwell AFB, Ala., and Ronald Bickerstaff, 316th Wing PA, Andrews AFB, Md. - Outstanding PA Entry Level Civilian (GS-5 TO GS-7): (a) NAF and above: Pam Friend, SAF/PA, Pentagon (b) Wing -- Catherine Jung, Air Force Recruiting Service PA, Randolph AFB, Texas - Outstanding PA Senior Noncommissioned Officer: (a) NAF and above: Master Sgt. Charles Roberts, USAFE PA, Ramstein AB (b) Wing -- Master Sgt. Renee Kirkland, 48th FW PA, RAF Lakenheath - Outstanding PA Noncommissioned Officer: (a) NAF and above: Tech. Sgt. Kate Rust, Air Force Space Command PA, Peterson AFB (b) Wing: Tech. Sgt. Veronica Aceveda, 512th AW PA, Dover AFB, Del. - Outstanding PA Airman: (a) NAF and above: There were no valid entries for this category (b) Wing -- Staff Sgt. (then Senior Airman) Vanessa Young, 48th FW PA, RAF Lakenheath - Outstanding Reserve Component PA Officer: 1st Lt. Geoffrey Buteau, 66th ABW PA, Hanscom AFB, Mass. - Outstanding Reserve Component PA Enlisted Airman: Master Sgt. Jennifer Thibault, 21st SW PA, Peterson AFB - "Ceferina T. Yepez Award" for Outstanding Host Nation Employee (Ms. Yepez served as the host nation advisor at Clark AB, Philippines for more than 30 years): Mehmet Birbiri, 39th ABW PA, Incirlik AB - Outstanding Band Officer: Capt. Richard Mench Jr., U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West, Travis AFB, Calif. - Outstanding Band Senior Noncommissioned Officer: Master Sgt. Jerome Oddo, Air Force Academy Band, USAFA - Outstanding Band Noncommissioned Officer: Tech. Sgt. Sherry Burt, U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band, Langley AFB, Va. - Outstanding Band Airman: Airman 1st Class John Beasley, U.S. Air Force Heartland of America Band, Offutt AFB, Neb. - Outstanding Broadcast Senior Noncommissioned Officer: Senior Master Sgt. Peter Casiano, Det. 10, AFNEWS, Yokota AB, Japan - Outstanding Broadcast Noncommissioned Officer: Staff Sgt. Tara O'Brien, Det. 6, AFNEWS, Lajes Field - Outstanding Broadcast Airman: Airman 1st Class Troy Davis, Det. 6 AFNEWS, Lajes Field - Outstanding Contribution to PA Programs: Tech. Sgt. Jeanette Copeland, 100th ARW, RAF Mildenhall Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link) Click here to view the comments/letters page