MDG honors hard workers with turkey and pie Published Dec. 1, 2010 By Kate Blais 95 Air Base Wing Public Affairs EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Turkey, crock-pots and hairnets marked the 95th Medical Group's Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon and Air Force Materiel Command Medical Service Awards ceremony, held in the Medical Clinic, Nov. 19. Dozens of long tables and folding chairs were packed with members of the 95 MDG and their families as potluck dishes were served down a buffet line and steady conversation hummed throughout the room. Col. Janet Taylor, 95th Medical Group commander, along with 95th Air Base Wing commander, Col. Gregory Schwab, doled out portions of homemade Thanksgiving dishes before recognizing the winners of AFMC Medical Service Awards. "It's great to recognize our 'desert medics' and tell them thanks for keeping customers their number- one priority," Colonel Taylor said. Twenty-two awards total were presented to the 95 MDG, 17 individual awards and five team awards. Ranging from "Pharmacy Technician Noncommissioned Office of the Year" to "Best Small Health Promotion Program," the men and women of the 95 MDG matched the 22 AFMC Medical Service Awards that Team Edwards brought home last year. "It's very easy to write winning packages when you have great people," said Chief Master Sgt. David Gilmore, 95 MDG superintendent, about the nomination process. Supervisors had the opportunity to put together employee accomplishments and submit them to the command. The AFMC Medical Service Award recipients will now go on to compete at the Air Force level. The luncheon drew to a close when one squadron paid the price for losing a unit-wide bet in the form of a pie in the face. The Medical Group came up short in "Penny Wars," a fundraiser waged throughout the unit to help off-set the cost of the holiday party. Chief Gilmore and Senior Master Sgt. Mario Aceves-Fonseca, 95th Medical Operations Squadron superintendent, were the recipients of two whipped cream pies. Following are the Team Edwards winners of the AFMC medical service awards: - Practice Manager of the Year: Capt. Kevin D. Turner - Outstanding NCO Independent Duty Medical Technician Award: Staff Sgt. Leilani J. Rosa - Human Performance Training NCO of the Year: Tech. Sgt. Amber D. Honeycutt - USAF Colonel Cleveland L. Parker SNCO Award: Master Sgt. Jenny A. Broder - Olson/Wegner Outstanding Aerospace Medicine NCO of the Year Award: Tech. Sgt. Stephanie C. Varner - Senior Aerospace Medical Service Function Manager of the Year: Senior Master Sgt. Mario Aceves-Fonseca - John C. Flanagan Senior Psychologist of the Year Award: Lt. Col. Tracy A. Neal-Walden - CMSgt. Lewis W. Dunlap Outstanding Airman Award: Senior Airman Bernice C. Edward - USAF Clinical Laboratory Civilian Scientist of the Year: Clifford P. Lapp - USAF Laboratory Supervisor Level Civilian of the Year: Gabriel Bannerman-Richter - USAF Pharmacy Technician NCO of the Year: Staff Sgt. Jason W. McCormack - Health Benefits Advisor of the Year: Lyn M. King - Outstanding Resource Management Airman of the Year: Senior Airman Samantha M. Gonzalez - Brig. Gen. Peter C. Belissario Young Health Care Administrator of the Year: Capt. James. D. Athnos - Outstanding Enlisted Health Services Management Airman of the Year: Airman 1st Class Somayra Hipps - Outstanding Enlisted Health Services Management Airman of the Year: Airman 1st Class Corissa L. Santos - SMSgt. Timothy A. Maggard Expeditionary Operations SNCO of the Year: Master Sgt. Theresa M. Szwerluga - Outstanding Health Plan Management Team of the Year: 95th MDG TOPA Flight - Outstanding Category 3 Imaging Team of the Year: 95th MDG Diagnostic Imaging - Colonel Gary Wasem Physical Medicine Team Award: 95th MDG Physical Therapy - USAF Best Small Health Promotion Program: 95th MDG Health and Wellness Center - Human Performance Training Team of the Year: 95th MDG Human Performance Training Team