Team Edwards holds 3rd Quarter Award ceremony

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Eric Jaren
  • 95th Air Base Wing
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  On Dec. 12, Edwards put on the base's first quarterly awards ceremony in several years. 

The event, presided by Maj. Gen. David Eichhorn, commander of the Air Force Flight Test Center, was held in the base theater and provided Team Edwards an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of the top enlisted, commissioned and civilian professionals assigned to the installation. 

In addition to the quarterly awards, General Eichhorn presented Combat Action Medals to Chief Master Sgt. Mark Brejcha, command chief of the 412th Test Wing, and Staff Sergeant Brandy Singleton, with the 95th Security Forces Squadron, for active participation in combat, having been under direct and hostile fire or physically engaging hostile forces with direct and lethal fire, in connection with military operations on Dec. 8, 2007, while serving with Operation Iraqi Freedom. He also recognized recent command-level award winners from the AFFTC Safety Office, 412th Maintenance Group and the 95th Medical Group. 

Chief Brejcha and I knew resurrecting the ceremony would be a hit when Senior Airman Sasha Dollison from the 412th Test Wing was announced as the Team Edwards Airman of the Quarter. She sprung up from her seat and dashed to the stage to receive her award. The atmosphere and spirit in the theater was genuine -- esprit de corps can't be manufactured. It was great to see the excitement as winners were recognized and to hear attendees chant unit mottos like, "Desert Pirates, Desert Pirates, Desert Pirates...ARRRRGH!" 

The ceremony concluded with a final presentation to Tech. Sgt. Steven D. Caron. General Eichhorn promoted Sergeant Caron to the rank of master sergeant under the Stripes for Exceptional Performers program. Sergeant Caron's family, who had arrived in secret, joined him on stage for the special moment. It was an amazing moment that caught Sergeant Caron completely off guard. 

A special thanks goes to the following: Senior Master Sgt. Eric Light, first Sergeant for the 412th MXG, Senior Master Sgt. Rebecca Raymond, superintendent of the 95th MDG, and Master Sgt. Bobby Herron, first sergeant for the 95th Security Forces Squadron, who did an incredible job planning, executing and emceeing the event. However, Staff Sergeant James W. Shepherd, 95th ABW command chief executive assistant, single-handedly organized and coordinated the entire event. He was absolutely instrumental to the spectacular ceremony.

The following are the Team Edwards 3rd Quarter Award winners:

-- Airman of the Quarter: Senior Airman Sasha Dollison

-- Noncommissioned Officer of the Quarter : Staff Sgt. Kenneth Bangay

-- Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Quarter: Master Sgt. Beltz

-- Company Grade Officer of the Quarter: Capt. William Freemantle

-- Secretarial and Clerical Civilian of the Quarter: Lisa Camplin

-- Staff, Specialist and Analyst Civilian of the Quarter: Almanda Randle

-- Technician Civilian of the Quarter: Jeanette Van Norden

-- Trades and Labor Civilian of the Quarter: Fulvio Fontana

-- Scientific and Engineering Civilian of the Quarter: Robert Warner

-- Supervision and Management Civilian of the Quarter: Kevin Montoya

-- Team of the Quarter: 418th Flight Test Squadron

-- Volunteer of the Quarter -- Terry Helling