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AFSOC honors outstanding Air Commandos

  • Published
  • By Maggie Nave

Air Commandos gathered to honor their top performers during the Outstanding Airmen and civilians of the Year banquet here May 9.

The OAY banquet is an annual celebration honoring the best Airmen and civilians in Air Force Special Operations Command. Supervisors nominated Airmen with exceptional service in their workplace and communities, who also excelled in their professional development.

The 2017 AFSOC OAY winners are:

ENLISTED

Senior Airman Tiffany I. Bentacourt, 353rd Special Operations Maintenance Squadron

Tech. Sgt. Brett M. Laswell, 4th Special Operations Squadron

Master Sgt. Thomas J. Gunnell, 26th Special Tactics Squadron

FIRST SERGEANT

Master Sgt. Celestino D. Madrid, 27th Special Operations Civil Engineering Squadron

COMPANY GRADE OFFICER

Capt. Anthony J. Chiaro, 321st Special Tactics Squadron

HONOR GUARD

Senior Airman Bryce A. Phillip, 1st Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron

Tech. Sgt. Chumphol Saengchaem, 27th Special Operations Force Support Squadron

INDIVIDUAL RESERVIST

Staff Sgt. Kristin L. Feldner, 1st Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron

Capt. Hila Levy, 352nd Special Operations Wing

CIVILIAN

Mr. Daniel S. Cota, 27th Special Operations Civil Engineering Squadron

Ms. Susan A. Copeland, Financial Management Directorate

Mr. Eric M. Spessard, 1st Special Operations Maintenance Squadron

Mr. Robert W. Norene, Strategic Plans, Programs, & Requirements Directorate

Lt. Gen. Brad Webb, who served as the keynote speaker, commended the award winners for their extraordinary leadership skills. “Leaders find a way, every day, in every squadron,” said Webb. “In this age of great power competition, we need champions. Those champions sit amongst us today.  Every day, AFSOC Airmen do extraordinary things. Every mission flown, every meal served, every aircraft maintained. You are the right leaders that we need.”

Betancourt, Laswell and Gunnell will compete against other outstanding Airmen in the Air Force 12 Outstanding Airman of the Year program.