Outstanding airmen honored

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. David A. Jablonski
  • Air Force Print News
WASHINGTON --  The Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2003 received a ceremonial tribute Sept. 15 at the Air Force Association convention here.

Each year, the AFA honors the 12 airmen at its annual convention in Washington, D.C. The program was initiated at the organization’s 10th annual national convention, held in New Orleans in 1956.

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray presented the awards. He said that each airman is an outstanding role model for the nation.

“They are wonderful Americans who embody the Air Force’s core values: integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do,” he said. “They are great Air Force ambassadors as they continue great work in recruiting and retention.”

The 2003 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year are:

-- Staff Sgt. Omar Ali Abed, a security forces craftsman assigned to the 37th Security Forces Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.

-- Master Sgt. Douglas Ackerman, an air transportation craftsman assigned as superintendent of aerial port operations for the 726th Air Mobility Squadron at Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany.

-- Senior Airman Hector Bauza, a biomedical engineering journeyman assigned to the 18th Medical Group at Kadena AB, Japan.

-- Staff Sgt. Jason Blodzinski, a combat control journeyman assigned to the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla.

-- Tech. Sgt. James Coffey III, a flight chief from the 50th SFS at Schriever AFB, Colo.

-- Senior Master Sgt. Keith Finney, chief of heavy repair from the 51st Civil Engineer Squadron at Osan AB, South Korea.

-- Tech. Sgt. Tara Marta, noncommissioned officer in charge of surveillance at the standardization and evaluation flight of the 932nd Air Control Squadron at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland (now at Luke AFB, Ariz.).

-- Senior Master Sgt. Thomas McConnell, a munitions material superintendent assigned to the 39th Maintenance Squadron at Incirlik AB, Turkey (now at Kadena AB, Japan).

-- Senior Airman Nathan Summers, a C-130 Hercules crew chief assigned to the 317th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Dyess AFB, Texas.

-- Senior Airman Harold Tolbert, a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration apprentice assigned to the 9th CES at Beale AFB, Calif.

-- Staff Sgt. Christopher Tuck, a contracting specialist assigned to the 325th Contracting Squadron at Tyndall AFB, Fla.

-- Tech. Sgt. Kevin Vance, a terminal attack controller assigned to the 17th Air Support Operations Squadron at Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.

Gen. T. Michael Moseley, Air Force vice chief of staff, gave tremendous praise to the 12 airmen following the award presentations.

“They truly are extraordinary,” Moseley said of the airmen, “but their accomplishments do not stand alone. Their training, personal code of conduct (and) their examples were set long ago on the shoulder of the generations of airmen long before them. As a treat, we are privileged to have many of them here tonight.”

Murray and the command chief master sergeants of each major command form the selection board. The Air Force chief of staff reviews the selections. The airmen are awarded the outstanding airman ribbon with the bronze service star device and wear the badge for one year. They also serve on the AFA enlisted council for one year.