Four airmen vie for GEICO awards

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RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) --  Four Air Force noncommissioned officers have been chosen to represent the Air Force and vie for the 2003 Government Employee Insurance Company Military Service Awards.

The NCOs' records will compete against other members of the armed forces in three categories.

Staff Sgt. Mashawn Black and Senior Master Sgt. Vaughn Gates will represent the Air Force in the drug and alcohol abuse prevention category.

Sergeant Black is assigned to Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. According to her nomination, she expertly managed the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment program there. She presented 19 ADAPT prevention briefings, which provided increased knowledge of abuse risk factors to 885 base members. Sergeant Black also wrote an article for the base newspaper highlighting National Alcohol and Drug Assessment Day. Her efforts impacted more than 35,000 people.

At Beale AFB, Calif., Sergeant Gates used knowledge and experience gained from his service as a California highway patrol officer to train security forces airmen in modern law enforcement techniques, according to his nomination. He provided alcohol and drug detection training to active-duty and Reserve security forces members that led to reduced on-base DUI-related accidents and incidents. Sergeant Gates also provided presentations to high-school seniors, adults at work, and civic groups to prevent alcohol and drug abuse, and reduce drunken driving incidents.

In the fire prevention and safety category, Tech. Sgt. Abner Hoage will compete. At Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Sergeant Hoage established a fire and life safety program throughout 10 Department of Defense Dependent Schools. He conducted more than 200 successful fire drills, ensuring the safety of 7,000 students and faculty, according to his nomination. Sergeant Hoage also led an aggressive fire-prevention program, slashing the annual number of reported unattended cooking fires by 60 percent.

Master Sgt. Vincent Dotson, from Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, will compete in the traffic safety and traffic accident prevention category. Sergeant Dotson is founder and leader of the base's newly established motorcycle safety training program. According to his nomination, he designed the first Web-based traffic training and mishap deterrent online training course, which eliminated 8,000 work hours. He also volunteered more than 300 hours to lead several child safety seat clinics after completing an intense child safety-seat installation course.

The nominees are now authorized to wear the Air Force Recognition Ribbon. (Courtesy of Air Force Personnel Center News Service)