Tinker celebrates graduates of Airman Leadership School 26-D

Published May 5, 2026
72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

Twenty five Airmen and one Sailor graduated from the Tinker Airman Leadership School during a graduation ceremony held here April 30, 2026.

ALS is a six-week professional development course designed to prepare new staff sergeants and senior airmen for positions of greater responsibility by strengthening their ability to lead, follow, and manage junior airmen as first line supervisors.

Tinker Air Force Base is home to one of the 68 active-duty ALS schools and one Air National Guard school globally, managed by their respective major command.

Service members standing together for group photo — Members of Tinker Airman Leadership School Class 26-D stand together as a class one last time for a group photo during a graduation ceremony April 30, 2026, at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. ALS is a six-week professional development course designed to prepare new staff sergeants and senior airmen for positions of greater responsibility by strengthening their ability to lead, follow, and manage junior airmen as first line supervisors. (U.S. Air Force photo by Paul Shirk)

Airman Leadership School is the first of three in-residence courses required for enlisted Airmen and a requirement for promotion to staff sergeant. The other in-residence courses are the Noncommissioned Officer Academy and the Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, which are prerequisites for promotion to master sergeant and senior master sergeant, respectively.

Full photos from the event can be viewed here.

First Sergeant’s Excellence Award
Senior Airman Imarie Williams, 72nd Security Forces Squadron

Sharp Image Award
Senior Airman Lakpa Tamang, 552nd Maintenance Squadron

Distinguished Graduates
Senior Airman Julani Carter, 552nd Air Control Networks Squadron
Senior Airman Matthew Lopez, 960th Airborne Air Control Squadron

John L. Levitow Award
Senior Airman Dante Moore, 552nd Operations Support Squadron

Academic Achievement Award
Senior Airman Ivan Mejias, 752nd OSS

Leadership Award
Senior Airman Carmen Mitchum, 752nd OSS

Airman speaks at podium — Senior Airman Dante Moore, 552nd Operations Support Squadron mission systems operator, speaks after receiving the John L. Levitow Award during an Airman Leadership School graduation ceremony at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, April 30, 2026. The Levitow award is the highest honor given during ALS and is named for the first enlisted Air Force recipient of the Medal of Honor. (U.S. Air Force photo by Paul Shirk)

GRADUATES of CLASS 26-D

Alpha Flight Graduates Instructed by Staff Sgt. Jose Resendiz:

Senior Airman Michael Ford, 72nd SFS
Senior Airman Jordan John, 109th SFS
Senior Airman Jared Lambert, 552nd Logistics Support Squadron
Senior Airman Jonny Le, 552nd ACNS
Senior Airman Matthew Lopez, 960th AACS
Staff Sgt. Terrell McGowan, 552nd Operations Group
Senior Airman Ivan Mejias, 752nd OSS
Senior Airman Kaitlyn Ridgeway, 552nd Air Control Wing
Senior Airman Imarie Williams, 72nd SFS

Bravo Flight Graduates Instructed by Tech. Sgt. William Caraway:

Utilitiesman 2nd Class Kyle Arvizu-Bradley, Strategic Communications Wing One
Senior Airman Tiger Berry, 72nd SFS
Senior Airman Dominic Ferrett, 552nd ACNS
Senior Airman Nathan Garcia, HQ Air Force Flight Standards Agency
Senior Airman Matthew Lanfear, 552nd MXS
Senior Airman Emmanual Lonkoue-Nguendjui, 465th Air Refueling Squadron
Senior Airman Carmen Mitchum, 752nd OSS
Senior Airman Jerico Robinson, 72nd SFS

Charlie Flight Graduates Instructed by Tech. Sgt. Samantha Banno:

Senior Airman Julani Carter, 552nd ACNS
Senior Airman Jonathan Chavez, 552nd MXS
Senior Airman Clifton Eichelberger, 280th Special Operations Communications Squadron
Senior Airman Andrew Hurst, 752nd OSS
Senior Airman Clayton Klein, 72nd SFS
Senior Airman Dante Moore, 552nd OSS
Staff Sgt. Antonio Polsonetti, 966th AACS
Senior Airman Lakpa Tamang, 552nd MXS
Senior Airman Madison Wing, 72nd SFS