TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- June’s Chief’s Choice Award presentation by the Tinker Chief’s Group recognizes two of Tinker’s finest: Staff Sgt. Mark Pough of the 349th Recruiting Squadron, and Airman 1st Class Crystal Byers, with the 72nd Force Support Squadron.
Staff Sgt. Mark Pough has been a valuable member of the 349th recruiting squadron for nearly three years. In that time, he has enlisted and shipped 115 trainees to basic military training while obtaining 115 percent of his assigned goal in FY16; earning the Air Force Recruiting Service Bronze Medal Olympiad and Silver Badge. Currently, Sgt. Pough has reached 142 percent of his assigned goal in FY17 and is ranked fourth out of 57 recruiters in the squadron. Along with his duty performance, Sgt. Pough finds time to volunteer as a youth basketball coach, complete his course 15, and lead the 2nd annual Tinker AFJROTC Outreach.
Airman 1st Class Crystal Byers with the 72nd Force Support Squadron, Career Development/Enlisted Promotions section executes the Enlisted Promotions program for 72nd Air Base Wing, and 552nd Air Control Wing; servicing 9 Senior Raters, Commanders and 1st Sergeants. Since arriving to Tinker AFB, she has processed 7 supplemental promotion boards, giving 100 percent direct notification to Senior Raters on members selected to assume the higher grade. During this time, she was instrumental in developing a tracking system to ensure Airmen with physical training failures at their Static Close-Out Date, are properly identified and updated per HQ AFPC guidance. Carrying on with superb performance and keen attention to detail, Airman Byers assisted with the rewriting of the Tinker AFB instruction for Senior Airman Below-the-Zone promotion board procedures. For the 1st and 2nd quarter BTZ cycles, Airman Byers’ efforts afforded 172 eligible Airmen basewide, the opportunity to compete for 24 quotas/Sr. Airman stripes within their respective units or Central Base Boards.
While maintaining her daily duties and completing Career Development Course ahead of peers, Airman Byers is also the President of the Military Personnel Section’s Morale committee which operates with a more than $1,000 budget, and is charged with creating numerous activities for all Airman within the MPS to participate.