Airmen receive awards at Knucklebuster Ball Published March 4, 2008 By Capt. Jason Troutman 552nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron TINKER AIR FORCE BASE -- A night of special significance for the Airmen of the 552nd Maintenance Group happened Feb 1 at the Annual Knucklebuster Awards Banquet where the group gathered to enjoy a meal and honor their top performers. The two categories, traditional awards and Knucklebuster awards recognize the very best Airmen for superior maintenance and leadership as well as noteworthy self-improvement and education. The Knucklebuster awards are not elected by leadership, but by their supervisors, peers and subordinates. These coveted trophies salute the dedicated technicians whose passion for their jobs define them and inspire others. In all, fourteen Knucklebuster awards were presented, one for each of the functional maintenance specialties. This year's banquet theme was "Maintaining a Tradition of Excellence. "As modern Air Force leaders we have an obligation to maintain a tradition of excellence," said Col. Keith Frede, 552nd Maintenance Group, commander. According to Col Frede, throughout the history of American military aviation, it is the maintenance personnel who have kept our aircrews flying both in peace and in war. It is their arduous and often thankless toil that keeps thirty-year old aircraft in the skies accomplishing the mission and fighting the Global War on Terror. It is an old refrain among maintainers who without their efforts, their pilots would be marching into combat carrying rifles. Truly, the future of American air superiority rests in no small part on the continued excellence of the maintenance professionals. One of the events of the evening was the address given by the guest speaker, Maj. Gen. Loren Reno, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, commander, gave remarks focusing on the concepts of a great Air Force, a great group and great Airmen. According to General Reno, air superiority is paramount to the defense of the nation. He quoted the first Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Carl Spaatz, who said, "we'd better be prepared to dominate the skies above the surface of the earth or be prepared to be buried beneath it." Gen. Reno explained that the AWACS' all-weather surveillance, command, control and communications capability is a key component for America's air superiority. "AWACs is the envy of our allies and the fear of enemies," Gen Reno said. He highlighted the group's accomplishments in 2007, which included deployments to Greece, Peru, Singapore, Ecuador, Canada and Saudi Arabia, while simultaneously generating sorties for Operation Noble Eagle, Presidential support mission, Operations Red Flag and Maple Flag and a variety of other contingencies and exercises around the globe. Gen. Reno cited the group's awards for effective use of maintenance resources and for innovative management actions culminating in winning the Air Combat Command General Thomas P. Gerrity Logistics Award. 552nd MXG volunteers initiated 35th AFSO21 projects, saved 600 lives through Airmen Against Drunk Driving, donated 300 hours to Habitat for Humanity, exceeded the CFC goal by 25 percent, beat the AFAF goal by 20 percent and gave 72 pints of blood to the Red Cross. The General recognized the accomplishments of several individuals including Capt. Barry Willard, the 2007 8th AF Leo Marquez Company Grade Officer Winner. Tech. Sgt. Nikkia Fain from the 552nd Maintenance Squadron was recognized for locating supply sources for mission-critical parts that had been deemed unprocurable. Airman First Class Jalundra Johnson of the 552nd Maintenance Operations Squadron was lauded for preparing the group to participate in RED FLAG. Airman First Class Marlin Braun who works in the 552nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron was praised for his work on four different configurations of over 100 laptop computers used for digital technical orders. Gen. Reno concluded by telling the story of Skipper Bill McClendon, a P-38 pilot stationed in New Guinea during the Second World War. As a young lieutenant, he was assigned to take charge of an Army boat brigade whose mission was to pick downed pilots out of the ocean. It was not something that he volunteered for. More than anything, he wanted to fly with his fellow wingmen, but he resigned himself to his new duties without complaint. Instead of simply going through the motions, he applied himself and excelled. Over the course of two years, he saved 722 downed Airmen in 150 rescue missions. Years after the war when asked how he managed to subordinate his own desires to follow these unexpected orders, he replied simply, "I took an oath". Gen. Reno pointed out that it was Skipper McClendon's commitment to excellence that drove him to accomplish his duty regardless of the apparent lack of glamour and fame. It is this same tradition of excellence that the maintainers of the 552nd uphold every day. Award winners are: ACC Aircraft AFET of the Year: Daniel Lay Airman of the Year : Senior Airman Khama Deleston Analyst of the Year: Staff Sgt. Heidi Chesser C & I (2E) Amn Senior Airman Robert West C & I (2E) NCO Tech Sgt. Kevin McMillian C & I (2E) SNCO Senior Master Sgt. Andrew Mathias CGO of the Year: 1st Lieutenant Sarah Summers Civilian of the Year - GS9 & Below: Robert Rich CMSgt Thomas Barnes Crew Chief of the Year: Staff Sgt. Michael Nicholl First Sergeant of the Year : Senior Master Sgt. Marc Anderson Information Manager of the Year: Airman Senior Airman Alicia Poindexter Information Manager of the Year: NCO Staff Sgt. Kara Lamm Information Manager of the Year : SNCO Master Sgt. Yolanda Jennings Knucklebuster of the Year - Aerospace Ground Equipment : Tech. Sgt. John Keep Knucklebuster of the Year - Airframe and Powerplant, General: Staff Sgt. Jeremy Moore Knucklebuster of the Year - Airframe/Avionics Intermediate Section : Airman First Class Jason Owens Knucklebuster of the Year - Communications/Navigation Systems: Senior Airman Dusty Hobson Knucklebuster of the Year - Computers : Senior Airman Christopher Maples Knucklebuster of the Year - Electronic Warfare : Staff Sgt. Joel Kubitscheck Knucklebuster of the Year - Engines: Airman First Class Corine Barton Knucklebuster of the Year - Environmental Control Systems: Senior Airman Tyler Mathews Knucklebuster of the Year - Fabrication: Airman First Class Jon Jansenvangalen Knucklebuster of the Year - Fuels: Staff Sgt. Scott Hanson Knucklebuster of the Year - Guidance and Control Systems: Airman First Class Emily Nightinggale Knucklebuster of the Year - Hydraulics : Staff Sgt. Eric Sakos Knucklebuster of the Year - Quality Assurance: Staff Sgt. Joshua Malek Knucklebuster of the Year - RADAR: Tech. Sgt. Erin Brophy Leo Marquez Maintenance Company Grade Manager : Capt. Barry Willard Leo Marquez Maintenance Field Grade Manager: Maj. Konrad Cote Leo Marquez Maintenance Supervisor: Senior Master Sgt. Jonathan Sullivan Leo Marquez Maintenance Technician: Senior Airman Walton Bankston Leo Marquez Maintenance Technician-Supervisor: Staff Sgt. Michael Nicholl Log Planner of the Year (Amn - MSgt) : Senior Airman Amanda Harris Maintenance Professional of the Year - Airman: Senior Airman Walton Bankston Maintenance Professional of the Year - NCO: Staff Sgt. Joseph Searfoss Maintenance Professional of the Year - Reserve Amn : Senior Airman John Corwin Maintenance Professional of the Year - Reserve NCO : Staff Sgt. Landon Holloway Maintenance Professional of the Year - Reserve SNCO : Master Sgt. James Smith Maintenance Professional of the Year - SNCO: Master Sgt. Chuck Ratajczyk Maintenance Professional of the Year - Support Airman: Senior Airman Ryan Miller Maintenance Professional of the Year - Support NCO: Tech. Sgt. Joseph Tolley Maintenance Professional of the Year - Support SNCO: Master Sgt. Weisa Hurley Maintenance Professional of the Year- CGO: Capt. Dale Williquette MTF Instructor of the Year: Tech. Sgt. Keith Bodenhoff NCO of the Year: Staff Sgt. Missy Wolford Personnel Manager of the Year - Airman : Senior Airman Khama Deleston Personnel Manager of the Year - CGO: 1st Lieutentant Karen Mealey Personnel Manager of the Year - NCO: Tech. Sgt. David Whitley Resource Advisor of the Year : Leann Wolfe Scheduler of the Year: Tech. Sgt. Kenneth Turner SNCO of the Year : Master Sgt. Malia Arnold Supply Provider of the Year - Airman: Airman First Class Timothy Steiner Supply Provider of the Year - NCO: Staff Sgt. Garry Prude Supply Provider of the Year - SNCO: Senior Master Sgt. Raymond England UTM of the Year: Staff Sgt. Joshua Lemke