CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Eleven members of Team Charleston were selected as the 437th Airlift Wing's top performers at the 2006 Annual Awards banquet at the Charleston Club Jan. 26.
Col. Glen Joerger, 437 AW commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Melvin Willis, 437 AW command chief master sergeant, recognized the award recipients.
The winners included: Senior Airman Jake Viveiros as Airman of the Year, Tech. Sgt. Cynthia Shuff as Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, Master Sgt. Antonio Brock as Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, Airman 1st Class Jordan Brown as Honor Guard Member of the Year, Master Sgt. Kenneth Carter, Jr. as First Sergeant of the Year, Capt. Adam Bingham as Junior Company Grade Officer of the Year, Capt. Marian Collins as Senior Company Grade Officer of the Year, Kevin Fitchko for Category 1 Civilian of the Year, Jennifer Ball for Category 2 Civilian of the Year, Karen Hennigan for Category 3 Civilian of the Year and Michelle Love as Volunteer of the Year.
Airman Viveiros, Phoenix Raven team member with the 437th Security Forces Squadron, helped protect both the president and vice-president during their back-to-back visit to Charleston this year. He has completed 17 credit hours at the Community College of the Air Force and was a Below-the-Zone promotee. According to his award nomination, he is a selfless leader and a Diamond Sharp Award winner.
Sergeant Shuff, 437th Logistics Readiness Squadron NCO in charge of wing deployments, was graded "outstanding" during the Air Mobility Command Logistics, Standardization and Evaluation Program and inventoried 36,000 war reserve material line items valued at $45 million. She is a booster club and Air Force Sergeants Association member and is currently pursuing her bachelor's degree.
Sergeant Brock, 437th Aerial Port Squadron NCO in charge of cargo processing, was selected to augment the AMC Inspector General team as the freight lead inspector. He was also recognized by AMC IG for an excellent rating for his section. He has visited the VA hospital, mentored cadets and is a wing tour guide.
Airman Brown, 437th Comptroller Squadron, has flawlessly executed more than 340 detail hours and according to his award nomination he exceeds AFI 36-2903 standards. He is the founder and president of the first ever Charleston AFB honor guard booster club and his superiors said he has exceptional knowledge of weapons drill.
Sergeant Carter, 437th Medical Group first sergeant, was deployed in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedoms and worked emergency travel arrangements for 13 Airmen. He was recognized by the AMC Unit Compliance Inspection team for a family care program that was a template to emulate and is completing a master's degree. He also orchestrated monthly moral trips for new troops.
Captain Bingham, 14th Airlift Squadron pilot, has more than 400 flying hours and 200 sorties moving 4.1 million pounds of cargo. He completed Squadron Officer School four weeks after pinning on captain and has visited multiple Charleston schools and mentored ten local youth. According to his award nomination, he is noted as being tenacious and unstoppable.
Captain Collins, 437th Aerial Port Squadron acting squadron operations officer, was a critical liaison for 16 phoenix banner missions and the AMC inspector said she was the best Air Transportation Operations Center Airman they've ever seen. She has a master's degree and Squadron Officers School in residence. Those who nominated her said she was an amazing and recognized leader in addition to being a skilled orator, community advocate and a superb project officer.
Mr. Fitchko, 437th Aerial Port Squadron passenger agent, has manifested 138 warriors and their bags from five locations for missions into Central Command's Area of Responsibility. He is an AFSA member and a key player in the squadron's Veteran's Administration hospital visits.
Ms. Ball, 437th Comptroller Squadron non-appropriated funds financial analyst, transformed an unsatisfactory NAF financial analyst program into an AMC benchmark. She has completed a master's degree and was noted by inspectors from the Unit Compliance Inspection for her positive attitude.
Ms. Hennigan, 437th Airlift Wing civil law chief, is the wing's "go-to" advisor for command-directed investigations and helped raise funds for the American Cancer Society.
She is noted by her award nomination as being an innovative and trusted advisor.
Ms. Love, 437th Mission Support Group volunteer, has selflessly volunteered more than 800 hours in addition to donating personal resources. She was praised as being the ultimate wingman by the wing command chief and was the lead volunteer whose vision and oversight has led to the flourishing of Charleston AFB's Airmen's Center.