ALC recognizes effort in bringing 9001 together

Published May 7, 2010
By Brandice J. Armstrong
Tinker Public Affairs

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- More than 150 Tinker personnel were recognized during the Bldg. 9001 employee recognition ceremony April 27.

Held in front of "Commodity Country," posts H24-H26, Tinker's senior leadership praised and recognized personnel who helped in the renovation of the building. Approximately 325 Tinker personnel and families attended the afternoon event.

"I came to Tinker a little over a year ago. I came to this building and it scared me," said Maj. Gen. David Gillett, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center commander. "I thought, 'what have we done to ourselves?' But, I had forgotten what a terrific work force we have that does astounding things on a regular basis. I'm extremely proud of everyone who had a hand in making this facility a great asset to Tinker Air Force Base. This facility has become a real capability that will enable us to better support the mission."

Over the course of a year-and-a-half, Tinker personnel converted the 33-year-old General Motors automobile assembly plant into a viable manufacturing and repair facility. In 1979, the plant opened and churned out "X-body" cars. Years later, it produced the Chevy Malibu. And in 2001, five years before it unexpectedly closed, it made sport-utility vehicles.

When it closed, Air Force officials brainstormed a new use for the automobile plant. But, it wasn't until 2008 when Oklahoma County purchased the 407-acre campus that the plan came to fruition. Through a lease agreement, Tinker is using the campus, which houses six industrial facilities and one office building -- nearly 4-million square-feet of usable space.

And so, Tinker personnel were praised. Twenty-four Exemplary Civilian Service Awards were distributed. Of them General Gillett awarded 16 to 76th Maintenance Wing personnel, three to 72nd Air Base Wing employees and five to Defense Logistics Agency civilians.

Brig. Gen. Bruce Litchfield, 76th MXW commander, awarded 35 Civilian Achievement Awards to maintenance wing personnel and one Judge Advocate employee.

Col. Scott Merrell, 72nd ABW vice commander, who represented Col. Allen Jamerson, air base wing commander, awarded the civilian achievement honor to 25 air base wing personnel. Col. Kelly Larson, DLA commander, presented five awards to DLA personnel.

One Air Force Achievement Award recipient and more than 100 Notable Achievement Award recipients were also recognized. Of them, 58 were from the 76th MXW, 42 were from the 72nd ABW and seven from DLA.

"You have to have pride in what you've done," said General Litchfield. "You came together as Team Tinker and made this all happen. I have never seen so many wards given out at one time, but I've also never seen so many awards earned and deserved at one time either."

Notable Achievement Award Recipients
76th MXW
Rufus Allen
Bobby Anderson
CoreyAnderson
Richard Arthur
Richard Balthrop
Brad Barnell
Jay Beaty
Glenn Boyd
James Boggs
Tobin Brown
John Bryant
Marcos Canizalez Christopher Clark
Gary Cole
Mark Devaney
Mark Eaton
Jeremy Fitzgerald
Ronald Ford
Dale Fortenberry
Scott Gardner
Wendell Gomez
Stephen Gorczyca
Rodney Gray
Matt Guinn
Thomas Hendley
Stephen Hill
Michael Hines
Somchai Insomya
Larry Johnson
Randall Jones
David Koteras
Travis Loveland
David McCurdy
Craig Moore
Jeremy Morgan
Kevin Morgan
Ronald Morris
Mickey Nixon
Michael Owens
Rodney Parris
Christopher Patterson
Randy Price
Chad Pruett
Tyler Riddle
Paul Rivera
Gregory Roberts
Heath Rogers
Tommy Seitz
Kenneth Shepherd
Jason Smith
Jason Songer
Rockey Strider
Jeffery Tabor
Jacob Taron
Kenneth Tucker
Russell Tucker
Richard Walker
MichaelYoungberg
72nd ABW
William Anderson
Dennis Bebout
Loretta Birk
Scott Bloxham
Corey Bowen
Anthony Bright
Robert Bruce
James Dawson
Staci Depel
Sandra Fink
Jason Flaming
Freddie Hall, Jr.
John Harbaugh
Kimberly Harris
Jerry Heflin
Patricia Hines
David Holt
Valerie Hood
Scott Lindsey
Webster Little Jim Jr.
Robert Lowery
Robert Ludwig
Danny Mathis
Brion Ockenfels
Jason Perry
William Reed
Malinda Rogers
Laquita Rudlang
Anne Schaefer
Derle Smith Jr.
Rex Stanford
David Steward
Fred Tracy
John Truong
Senior Airman Pablo Velez
Charles Ward
William Ward
James Way
Robert Weeston
Teresa Wheeler
James Williams
Richard Wright
DLA
David Brownlee
Arthur Ford
Dennis Graham
Jason Ham
Rocky Kidney
Karen Madewell
Kirby Winter
Exemplary Civilian Service Award Recipients
76th MXW
Darrel Anderson
Jeff Catron
Jeff Day
Glen Drebes
Jennifer Goodridge
David Goss
Robert Griffith
Dwayne Miller
Dan Mitchell
Mike Mowles
Marc Owen
John Page
72nd ABW
Carmie Ashley
Eric Hanninen
Thomas Ridenour
DLA
Franklin Booker
Tim Flynn
Robbie Mitchell
Lorna Shrewsbury
Gerald Walker
April Reynolds
Robert Roman
Dan Snow
Ralph Stewart
Civilian Achievement Award Recipients
76th MXW
Kimberly Benton
Michael Sean Blake
Dana Burge
George Carr
Candi Conley
Pam Conway
Craig Crenshaw
James Crofoot
Nate Crosby
Carl Garcia
Scott George
David Gibson
Lena Gilbert
Mark Gossett
Starla Hacker
Jeff Hargis
Pat Harris
Don Johnson
Gary Jones
Christopher Kastl
Mike Kessler
Jeff Kindschuh
Steve Laurent
Todd Lee
Phil Moser
Lee Norris
Mike Opela
Matt Poursaba
Debbie Shepherd-Moore
Jamal Siddiqui
Bruce Stordahl
Jonathan Summers
Kevin Wise
Kevin Womack
JA
James Forrest
72nd ABW
Rhonda Balsley
Kelley Butler
Lester Caldwell
Randy Childress
William Dalke
Matthew DeToy
Terry Ford
Cynthia Garrett
Geri Hart
Carla Hill
Jonathan Leathers
Bede Ley
Gary McCracken
Charles McKenzie
Cynthia Obermeyer
Michael Pierce
Judy Roberson
William Salter
Cathy Scheirman
Oscar Severson
Frances Staggs
Debra Tapparo
Mark Van Duker
Jeffory Wagner
Letitia Yates
DLA
Gary Bowen
Shelly Fazio
Keith Green
Kimberly Keith
Kelvin Mitchell
Air Force Achievement Award Recipient
Capt. Tin Nguyen, 76th MXW

TAC ceremony