Electronic Systems Center announces annual award winners
By Meredith March
66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
Lt. Gen. Ted Bowlds, Electronic Systems Center commander,
announced the ESC annual awards for 2007 during a ceremony March
20. The winners are:
Airman of the Year
Senior Airman Lateeah Morrell
During 2007, Senior Airman Lateeah Morrell, 66th Comptroller
Squadron Pay Services technician, deployed in support of
Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, where she was
selected Warrior of the Week and Airman of the Month while
serving as a cashier. She assisted with the initial Air
Force launch of the stored value card and collected more
than $170,000 in Uniformed Services Savings Deposits Program
deposits and briefed members on program benefits. She also
initiated deployed entitlements for more than 25,000
warfighters in the Area of Responsibility.
Airman Morrell was also named the 66th Air Base Wing Staff
Agency’s Airman of the Year for 2007.
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NCO of the Year
Tech. Sgt. John G. Williams Jr.
Tech. Sgt. John G. Williams Jr. serves as the 66th Security
Forces Squadron Operations noncommissioned officer in
charge. He was also named 66 ABW NCO of the Year for 2007.
While deployed to the Central Command Area of Responsibility, Sergeant Williams led the first
Air Force Provincial Level Police Transition Team. He also
led troops through enemy attacks, commanded more than 120
convoys and 80 dismounted patrol missions and organized and
supervised transition team training sessions.
At Hanscom, Sergeant Williams managed four flights of more
than 63 active-duty and Reserve service members. He secured
more than $10 billion in war-fighting assets and led
security for more than 20 multi-service aircraft.
SNCO of the Year
Senior Master Sgt. David Pate
Senior Master Sgt. David Pate, 754th Electronic Systems
Group Network Operations Flight superintendent, was also
named an ESC and 554th Electronic Systems Wing Senior
Noncommissioned Officer of the Quarter during 2007.
Sergeant Pate managed a $200,000 project, installing 23
emergency radio stanchions and elevating force protection
for 30,000 people. He managed a $900,000 Army account and
negotiated a deal to restore communications networks in the
CENTCOM AOR. He also led Air Force-level operations tests of
computer power management, resulting in an estimated Air
Force-wide power reduction of 42 percent.
First
Sergeant of the Year
Master Sgt. Melissa Smiley
Master Sgt.
Melissa Smiley serves as the Cryptologic Systems Group first
sergeant at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
In 2007, Sergeant Smiley assisted the CPSG commander in
supervising more than 800 personnel and a budget of more
than $3 billion. She resolved more than 96 personnel
actions and coordinated with the Office of Special
Investigations and base personnel during a
high visibility case.
Sergeant Smiley also revitalized the Dorm of the Quarter
program and procured more than $9,000 in funding and created
new readiness checklists for 50 personnel deployed in
support of the Global War on Terror, resulting in new
base-wide benchmarks.
CGO of the Year
Capt. Lewis Pate
Capt. Lewis Pate, 38th Engineering
Installation Group System Telecommunication Engineering manager,
led a 56-member team in installing $12 million in strategic
command and control equipment, which enabled the redeployment of
21 Airmen and $3 million in assets. He engineered data, voice
and video solutions for 89 remote U.S. personnel in the CENTCOM AOR,
saving $42,000 in engineering fees.
Captain Pate received the 38 EIG CGO of the Quarter award for
the first and fourth quarters, and was named the group’s CGO of the
Year for 2007. He was also ESC’s CGO of the third quarter.
FGO of the Year
Lt. Col. Denise Irizarry
Lt. Col. Denise Irizarry, 66th Medical Support Squadron
commander, led 60 personnel in seven units, served more than
24,000 beneficiaries and supervised a budget of more than $8
million. She implemented a nursing and technician training
agreement with the Bedford Veterans Affairs Medical Center,
resulting in more than 600 training hours completed and
heightened medical readiness skills.
Colonel Irizarry was awarded the 66 MDSS and 66th Medical
Group Field Grade Officer of the Quarter for the second
quarter, as well as 66 ABW FGO of the Year Award for 2007. She
also received the 2007 AFMC Maj. Gen. Barbara C. Brannon
Nursing Leadership Award.
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Category I Civilian of the Year
Theresa Forbush
During 2007, Theresa Forbush, 350th Electronic Systems
Wing contract specialist, was also selected as a 350 ELSW
Civilian of the Quarter and ESC Outstanding Contracting
Civilian, GS-11 and Below, for the fourth quarter.
Ms. Forbush supervised more than 106 actions worth $29 million.
She saved more than $89,000 through competitive source selection
and also executed a more than $6 million Campus Area Network
standardization and modernization effort, laying a foundation
for future CAN infrastructure upgrades.
Category
II Civilian of the Year
Roxanne Gafford
Roxanne Gafford, CPSG Electronics engineer, provided systems
engineering support to the Air Force Cryptographic
Modernization program and led initiatives to identify and
modernize more than 193,000 devices, providing secure
Defense Department weapons employment. She led a high-speed
encryption initiative team in gathering requirements and
outlining acquisition development and cost options to meet
warfighter capabilities.
Ms.Gafford also participated in a joint source selection
with the
high-speed cryptological module evaluation team, providing
technical assessment and ensuring the best value award for a
$12 million development effort.
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Category III Civilian of the Year
Annette Benging
Annette Benging, CPSG Business Operations Division chief,
manages the CPSG’s Balanced Scorecard and Air Force Smart
Operations for the 21st Century programs and supervises the
Commanders Compliance Program, Reports of Survey, Audits,
Inspections and Management Controls as well as History, Public
Affairs and Civilian awards. On temporary duty assignment, she
spearheaded contractor module development in the Comprehensive
Cost and Requirements System and streamlined project
identifications across
the CPSG with a development chosen to be launched Air Force
wide.
IMA
Airman of the Year
Tech. Sgt. Sally Borrego
Tech. Sgt. Sally Borrego, 753rd Electronic Systems Group
Information Management craftsman, assumed a leadership position
during a manpower shortage and after the noncommissioned officer
in charge permanently changed station. Sergeant Borrego briefed
group and squadron commanders, as well as division chiefs, on
time-sensitive taskings and personnel issues.
She also
orchestrated three Commander’s Calls, processed more than 200
awards and decorations and provided accurate and timely Officer
and Enlisted Performance Reports to ESC.
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IMA Officer of the Year
Lt. Col. Michael Olson
Lt. Col. Michael Olson, 753 ELSG senior
IMA, served as acting commander of a squadron of 75 personnel
and executed a $217 million budget during a period of major
transition.
The colonel executed Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment Spiral
1, solving issues while maintaining the initiative schedules and
ensuring performance. He led preparation for key architecture
design review for JEFX 08-1. Colonel Olson also designed a
budget and plans for future JEFX events.
