Officials announce 2004 awards for air mobility excellence
by Capt. Jeffrey M. Bishop
Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
10/22/2004 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFPN) -- Airlift/Tanker Association officials recently announced the 2004 award winners for excellence within the air mobility community.
The association recognized 27 people in five categories. These Airmen will be honored at its annual convention in Dallas on Oct. 29.
The Young Leadership Award is presented annually to twelve young people who have displayed performance excellence, outstanding professional skill, knowledge and leadership. The 2004 winners are:
-- Capt. Sandra Bitteker, a C-5 Galaxy aircraft commander at Dover Air Force Base, Del.
-- Capt. Sarah Emory, an aircraft maintenance officer at Travis AFB, Calif.
-- Capt. DeAnna Franks, a C-130 Hercules aircraft commander at Little Rock AFB, Ark.
-- Capt. Nathan Howard, a KC-135 Stratotanker evaluator pilot and standardization and evaluation chief at McConnell AFB, Kans.
-- Capt. Jeffrey Johns, a maintenance operations flight commander at Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
-- Capt. Jason Loschinskey, a civil engineering officer at Fairchild AFB, Wash.
-- Master Sgt. Gidget Crudup, a noncommissioned officer in charge of standardization and evaluation at Andrews AFB, Md.
-- Tech. Sgt. Michael Hassett, an antiterrorism and force protection noncommissioned officer at MacDill AFB, Fla.
-- Master Sgt. Bruce Lund, a C-130 chief flight scheduler and chief loadmaster instructor at Dyess AFB, Texas.
-- Tech. Sgt. Michael Rivers, a C-130 flight engineer instructor at Little Rock.
-- Tech Sgt. Neil Jones, NCOIC of an explosive ordnance disposal flight at Scott AFB, Ill.
-- Staff Sgt. John Masterman, an aerospace maintenance craftsman at McChord AFB, Wash.
The association’s Huyser Award is presented annually to a pilot, navigator, flight engineer, boom operator and loadmaster, serving at the wing level or below, who have displayed outstanding proficiency and performance in flight duties; significant accomplishments, adaptability to unusual job assignments or difficult circumstances; acceptance of responsibility; and self-improvement efforts. The award is named after retired Gen. Robert E. “Dutch” Huyser, who commanded Military Airlift Command from 1979 to 1981. The 2004 winners are:
-- Pilot: Capt. Thad Middleton, a flight commander and C-130 aircraft commander instructor at Dyess.
-- Navigator: Capt. Jay Pelka, an MC-130H Combat Talon II navigator evaluator, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
-- Flight Engineer: Master Sgt. Gregg Kollbaum, an assistant operations superintendent and exam flight engineer at Dyess.
-- Boom Operator: Master Sgt. Mark Redden, a KC-10 Extender in-flight refueling operator evaluator and flight superintendent at Travis.
-- Loadmaster: Master Sgt. John Spillane, a loadmaster superintendent at Little Rock.
The association’s Halvorsen Award is presented to an outstanding individual in the air transportation specialty for sustained excellence in aerial port operations. This is the first year it has been awarded; the award is named after retired Col. Gail S. Halvorsen, who gained fame during the Berlin Airlift as the “Candy Bomber.” The 2004 winner is Master Sgt. Brian McDaniel, who was nominated while serving as 62nd Aerial Port Squadron training flight superintendent at McChord. He is currently assigned to the 723rd Air Mobility Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
The association’s Specialized Mission Award is presented to an outstanding individual whose performance of duties in support of an aerial air mobility mission is exceptionally noteworthy during crises, contingencies or humanitarian airlift; it is presented to people in career fields not covered by the Huyser Award categories. This is the first year that it has been awarded. The 2004 winner is Tech. Sgt. Leslie Dye, an airborne communications evaluator and electronics specialist at Eglin AFB, Fla.
The association’s Gen. P.K. Carlton Award for Valor is presented annually to an individual who demonstrates courage, strength, determination, bravery and fearlessness during a combat, contingency or humanitarian mission during the previous calendar year. This year marks the first time that a group -- in this case, a crew -- has earned the award. The award is named for retired Gen. Paul K. Carlton, who commanded Military Airlift Command from 1972 to 1977.
The 2004 winner of the Gen. P.K. Carlton Award for Valor is the crew of “Harley 37,” cited for its role in safely landing a battle-damaged MC-130H loaded with special operations forces during a mission in the opening days of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During the mission, the plane took 19 hits from anti-aircraft artillery fire, ranging from 7.62 mm to 57 mm, with one shell shattering the pilot’s windscreen, and others striking the main wing spar. The plane landed with only three working engines and all 58 people on board were safely evacuated.
The aircrew members were:
-- Maj. Mark Haberichter, a crew commander at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England.
-- Maj. Cory Peterson, a navigator at Mildenhall.
-- Capt. Michael Arndt, a scanner at Mildenhall.
-- Capt. Jonathan Cotton, a pilot at Mildenhall.
-- Capt. Robert Horton, an electronic warfare officer at Kirtland AFB, N.M.
-- Tech. Sgt. David Buss, a loadmaster at Mildenhall.
-- Tech. Sgt. Eric Rigby, a flight engineer at Mildenhall.
-- Staff Sgt. Patrick Pentico, a loadmaster at Mildenhall.
The association is a private organization with open membership for people interested in defense matters that relate to the air mobility mission. The annual awards program is administered by Air Mobility Command. (Courtesy of AMC News Service) |
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