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AFSOC leaders earn AFA recognition

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Buffy Galbraith
  • Air Force Special Operations Command public affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  The Air Force Association Florida Region recently announced that two Air Force Special Operations Command leaders are recipients of two of the organization's 2008 awards.

Brig. Gen. Bradley Heithold, AFSOC Director of Plans, Programs, Requirements and Assessments earned the 2008 Jerry Waterman Award and William Rone, AFSOC Director of Financial Management, earned the 2008 Gen. Lewis H. Brereton Award.

The Jerry Waterman Award, established in 1967, is for an active duty Air Force member who has made the most significant contribution to the Air Force during the past year.

"The nomination packages were very competitive around the state," said Max Friedauer, who serves on AFA's National Field Council. "But General Heithold's strategic objectives for the future and where AFSOC and our forces are headed were the most significant out of any other nominee."

According to his winning package, General Heithold's out-front and involved leadership consistently ensures the combat readiness of Total Force Airmen by providing critical warfighting tools to enable successful accomplishment of Air Force Special Operation Forces missions and securing of national defense in support of the global war on terrorism.

"The Hurlburt Chapter Awards Nomination Committee felt that there was no finer or more deserving Air Force officer in Florida who has had a greater effect upon the successful mission accomplishment of their military unit both at home and abroad," said Dann Mattiza, AFA Hurlburt Chapter #398 president.

General Heithold's steadfast leadership has garnered unprecedented results for the command, the Air Force, joint services and coalition forces, but he credits the hard work of the men and women of AFSOC with this unexpected award.

"Winning the Jerry Waterman Award is a great honor and it came as a complete surprise," said General Heithold. "I feel sort of like the turtle on the fencepost. I didn't get here by myself. The people with whom I work here at Air Force Special Operations Command are really the ones making the biggest contributions to the Air Force mission.

"I am humbled and honored to have received this award," he said.

The goal of the AFA awards program is to reach outside the association to recognize and reward leaders and citizens in the community who display the service, sacrifice and valor AFA members value most.

The Jerry Waterman Award has highlighted the accomplishments of many of AFSOC's finest servicemembers, but this year marks the first time an AFSOC civilian has received another of the AFA's highly-competitive awards--the Gen. Lewis H. Brereton Award.

This award honors a civilian Florida resident who has made the most outstanding contribution to airpower during the past year or over a multiyear period.

"Mr. Rone is the first person from Hurlburt who has won this award since its inception in 1968," said Mr. Friedauer, who was also a past president of the AFA's Hurlburt Chapter.

Mr. Rone's award-winning package described how he successfully secured funds needed to keep Air Commandos fully engaged in the Global War on Terror and AFSOC base services and facilities in first-class shape for Air Commandos and their families.

The package also noted how his outstanding financial execution performance and working relationships with Headquarters Air Force and United States Special Operations Command routinely results in funding for essentially all mission requirements and end-of-year base support and facility requirements.

"AFSOC and Hurlburt have always done extremely well, and it's wonderful to see one of our senior civilian leaders win this award," said Mr. Friedauer.

Though the first from AFSOC to receive the Brereton Award, Mr. Rone is no stranger to the accolades that come with hard work and dedication. The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management announced in March that Mr. Rone won the James E. Short Award for Outstanding Contributions to Mentorship and Career Development. This award, in its inaugural year, recognizes a single Air Force financial leader who has demonstrated personal excellence and years of commitment to mentoring and developing people.

Mr. Rone's office has also been recognized as USSOCOM's Outstanding Comptroller Squadron for the past five years.

"Selection to receive the General Lewis H. Brereton Award is an incredible honor and I am especially proud to be honored with my good friend, Waterman Award recipient, General Brad Heithold," said Mr. Rone. "We are fortunate to lead the teams ensuring Air Commandos are properly resourced so they can focus on mission training and fighting the war on terror.

"I truly appreciate the opportunity to serve as an AFSOC senior leader and lead an incredible headquarters staff and team of financial managers across the command," he said.

The men and women at AFSOC work hard and deserve the recognition, said Mr. Friedauer.

"It is obvious that the best are here at Hurlburt," he said.

The awards will be presented at the AFA State Convention July 12 in Cape Canaveral.