Secretary, three others receive NAACP awards

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WASHINGTON (AFPN) --  The Air Force secretary and three other Airmen received NAACP awards for outstanding and noteworthy efforts in implementing policies and programs which promote equal opportunity in the military.

Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche garnered the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's highest award presented to a Defense Department civilian -- the Benjamin L. Hooks Distinguished Service Award.

This year marks the first time since the Hooks award was established in 1990 that a second presentation was made. The second award went to retired Air Force Lt. Col. Jimmy Love, acting director for military equal opportunity from the deputy undersecretary of defense's equal opportunity office.

Brig. Gen. Edward A. Rice Jr. was honored with the top annual award for a military person, the NAACP Meritorious Service Award. General Rice was cited for distinguished service as commander of Air Force Recruiting Service at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, from May 2002 to January 2004. He now is assigned at the Pentagon.

Maj. Kimberly Scott, a C-17A Globemaster III pilot with the 728th Airlift Squadron at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., and Master Sgt. Delbert Williams first sergeant of the 128th Air Refueling Wing at the Wisconsin Air National Guard headquarters in Milwaukee, were honored with the NAACP's Roy Wilkins Renown Service Award in recognition of their contributions to military equal opportunity policies and programs.

The awards were presented during the 29th Annual NAACP Armed Services and Veterans Affairs Awards Dinner on June 10 in Arlington, Va.

Kweisi Mfume, president and chief executive officer of the NAACP, said Secretary Roche was presented the Benjamin Hooks award because he had advocated for equal opportunity and diversity in the shaping of Air Force programs.

“Under his leadership, the Air Force has expanded junior Reserve Officer Training Corps programs to (more than) 900 high schools in the United States and abroad, emphasizing the core competencies in math, science and citizenship,” Mr. Mfume said. “Dr. Roche has a passion for reaching out to historically black colleges and universities, minority institutions, and ‘at-risk’ youth to raise the awareness of career opportunities in the military and in the civil service."

Colonel Love said he was surprised to receive the award, because "I've only done what I think we all do, and that's my job! And, I love doing it. I'm humbled because of the company of people who have received this award before me."

Over the years, Colonel Love said he had heard several acceptance speeches, "but what I remember most, are two words -- 'thank you.'"

Julian Bond, chairman of the NAACP's national board of directors, presented General Rice's award to him.

"Recognizing the importance of a military force composed of people from all facets of the American population, General Rice emphasized diversity,” Mr. Bond said. “He exceeded minority targets for officer recruiting (and) doubled the number of Hispanics. He exceeded the original Air Force target of 12 percent African-American enlistments.

"His efforts on minority recruiting placed the Air Force in a position to reflect the strength of America's diverse society for years and years to come," Mr. Bond said.

Mr. Bond quoted General Rice as saying, "Attracting qualified minorities is an important part of our recruiting game, because we are a reflection of the society we defend."

General Rice said he was accepting the award on behalf of the more than 2,000 Air Force Recruiting Service Airmen who are the ones who did the work that resulted in him receiving the award.

The Roy Wilkins Renown Service Award was instituted in 1975 in recognition of the distinguished service of Mr. Wilkins, who established the NAACP Armed Services and Veterans Affairs Department in 1969.

NAACP officials said Mr. Wilkins recognized that the same strides in civil and human rights for blacks in the civilian populace must also encompass those who serve in the military.

According to the award citation, Major Scott "distinguished herself by meritorious service as an outstanding pilot and aviation advocate." This included mentoring more than 200 under-served youth and students to aviation.

"As a C-17A pilot, she served heroically in the first wave of operations Enduring [Freedom] and Iraqi Freedom, flying 130 missions, 25 combat mission, 800 hours, and providing critical airlift of 3 million pounds of cargo and 1,000 personnel in critical combat operations," the citation continued.

Major Scott also is credited with increasing the number of black pilots and working to highlight minority contributions and to increase minority participation in aviation.

Sergeant Williams was cited for "meritorious service with outstanding contributions to equal opportunity and civil rights." His award citation states that he "provided impeccable advice to senior leaders on the impact of policies regarding matters of diversity, equal employment opportunity, military equal opportunity and the local metro Milwaukee community."

Sergeant Williams was also honored for his involvement with the Big Brothers and Big Sisters programs, the Beyond Walls organization, Aviation Careers Education Program, Running Rebels Community organization and many other groups. The citation stated that this involvement "demonstrates his intense commitment to 'at-risk' youth, both locally and in the state of Wisconsin."