RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNEWS) -- Air Force officials announced four Airmen have been selected for the 2006 Lance P. Sijan Air Force Leadership Award Jan. 23.
The Sijan award annually recognizes Airmen who demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities while assigned to organizations at the wing level or below.
The 2006 winners are:
-- Lt. Col. Eric Axelbank for the Senior Officer Category, who is assigned to Kadena Air Base, Japan. The Air Force recognized Colonel Axelbank for his leadership as commander of the largest logistics readiness squadron in the Air Force. 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. His was the first unit of its type to achieve that rating in two years.
-- Capt. Matthew Allen won the Junior Officer Category award. The captain stationed at Pope AFB, N.C., was responsible for making life or death decisions during more than 20 operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom combat missions. His leadership and decision making was credited as being key to the success of 444 special operations assaults. He was credited with successfully recovering 19 Americans after a helicopter crash and six Soldiers during separate combat operations.
-- Master Sgt. David John is the winner for the Senior Enlisted Category. The Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, sergeant was responsible for more than 800 convoys during his deployment in support of OIF. His expert leadership resulted in the convoys traveling more than 450,000 miles across Iraq without a single casualty or injury. Back home, he also positioned Elmendorf AFB to receive the C-17 Globemaster III and F-22 Raptor two-years ahead of schedule.
-- Tech. Sgt. Shannon Cruz won the Junior Enlisted Category Award. Assigned to Fort Lewis, Wash., Sergeant Cruz deployed and while under fire, thwarted a 100-strong insurgent attack by directing close air support missions that released 10 guided bombs directly onto the enemy. His actions were commended by the special forces team leader as saving the team from a sure and inescapable death.
The Lance P. Sijan award was first given in 1981. It was named in honor of the first U.S. Air Force Academy graduate to receive the Medal of Honor. Captain Sijan was shot down over Vietnam Nov. 9, 1967, and evaded capture for 45 days despite severe injuries. He later died while in a Vietnamese prisoner-of-war camp and was presented the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroism.
Gen. T. Michael Moseley, the Air Force chief of staff, will present the awards to this year's recipients at a later date.
(Courtesy Air Force Personnel Center News Service)
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