JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
Air Force officials recently named a Joint Base Charleston NCO as the AF's best laboratory NCO for 2014.
Tech. Sgt. Terrell Tilley, 628th Medical Group Diagnostics and Therapeutic flight chief, was recognized as the U.S. Air Force Laboratory NCO of the Year for 2014.
"Doing your job well is the real award," said Tilley, a native of Los Angeles, Calif. "The opportunities to develop, experiences from those opportunities and trust from my leadership have blessed me since I joined the Air Force."
Tilley credits mentors from previous bases, as well as his current leadership, to his success.
"Being a good leader means being a good follower," said Tilley. "We recognize the qualities in our leaders, and emulate those qualities when given the opportunity and understand the importance of leadership."
During 2014, Tilley took on the leadership role often.
Like when he filled the role of flight commander shortly after arriving to JB Charleston. For more than six months, starting in July, Tilley oversaw the laboratory during the absence of their officer in charge, who was filling in for a deployed squadron commander.
This role left Tilley responsible for 42 providers in nine departments, with flawless results.
In addition to his leadership responsibilities, Tilley took on additional roles from directing the 628th Air Base Wing's Self Aid Buddy Care program (leading 43 instructors over 31 training sessions) to taking on the role of MiCare program training officer (training 43 medics in five clinics.)
"Award winning is a team effort," said Tilley. "It takes the trust from your leadership, as well as the ones you're leading and working together in the process. The best advice I could give is to stay in the trenches with your troops, work hard every day and just make it happen."
"We are extremely proud to have a medic of TSgt Tilley's caliber here on Joint Base Charleston," said Lt. Col. Matthew Krauchunas, 628th Medical Support Squadron commander. "He made an immediate impact upon arrival and he is the quintessential NCO in that he has outstanding technical expertise, cares greatly about our Airmen and their families, and he is actively involved in base and community events."