Team Vance recognizes best of 2007

  • Published
  • By Capt. Tony Wickman
  • Public Affairs
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Several members of Team Vance were honored Saturday evening at the base's annual awards banquet at the Vance Club.

More than 200 people attended the gala to recognize the wing's top performers in 2007 for the wing. The base winners will go on and compete at higher headquarters in their respective categories.

The 2007 winners in their respective categories were:
  • Senior Airman Peter Tripi, 71st Mission Support Group, for Airmen of the Year
  • Tech. Sgt. Derek Cox, 71st Medical Group, for NCO of the Year
  • Master Sgt. Spencer Parker, Wing Staff Agencies, for Senior NCO of the Year
  • Capt. Jamie Kaauamo, 71st Medical Group, for Company Grade Officer of the Year
  • Toshie Whiteaker, Wing Staff Agencies, for Category I Civilian of the Year
  • James Malachowski, Wing Staff Agencies, for Category II Civilian of the Year
  • Staff Sgt. H. Lei Kaauamo Jr., 71st Logistics Readiness Squadron, for Honor Guard of the Year
  • Capt. Kris Ostrowski, 71st Medical Operations Squadron, Honor Guard Program Manager of the Year
  • Capt. Phillip O'Briant, 3rd Fighter Training Squadron, Instructor Pilot of the Year
  • Staff Sgt. Mark Rodriguez, 71st Communications Squadron, Quality Assurance Evaluator of the Year
  • Master Sgt. Joe Lawley, 71st Operations Group, First Sergeant of the Year
  • Master Sgt. Mitchell Lawrence, 71st Medical Group, Additional Duty First Sergeant of the Year
The evening started out with 43 nominees for the various awards and finished with the 12 most outstanding Airmen.

According to Col. Richard Klumpp Jr., 71st Flying Training Wing commander, the event was a great success.

The success of the event was a testament to the hard work of the committee members who organized the banquet, as well as the individual nominees and their supervisors who prepared the packages, said Colonel Klumpp.

"The quality of Airmen - enlisted, officer and civilian - we have at Vance is unmatched. While everyone who was nominated was deserving of an award, we could only choose one in each category and those selected as our most outstanding Airmen represent the collective efforts of Team Vance," Colonel Klumpp said. "The people who do the mission here day in and day out make my job easy as the commander, and I am grateful for the way they make the mission happen. We should commend each of the nominees and congratulate all of the winners because they truly represented the best of Team Vance in 2007, and I look forward to the wing's continued success in 2008."

For Captain Kaauamo, she was surprised to win the CGO award.

"It is a great honor to be chosen amongst the high caliber of CGOs we have here at Vance," the captain said. "It represents all the hard working CGOs are doing on Vance and in the Enid community."

According to sergeants Parker and Cox, humble is the best word to describe their reaction to winning their award.

"I feel humbled that I was chosen as the senior NCO of the year out of one of the best pools of leaders that the Air Force has to offer. I feel that we are all winners and will continue to do things that will assist in moving Team Vance forward," Sergeant Parker said.

"I'm honored, privileged, and most of all, humbled in being named the 2007 FTW NCO of the Year," Sergeant Cox said. "The award represents one of the highest honors that an Airman may receive and communicates to your peers, customers, family and friends that you truly exemplify the qualities and characteristics that this award embodies."

For Mr. Malachowski, winning the award was a team effort.

"It was an honor to be nominated for the award and rewarding to win it. While the award was an individual recognition, I believe it was a collective effort on behalf of all Team Vance that helped me achieve the success I had in 2007," he said. "I wouldn't have been nearly as successful without the help of everyone involved in the Air Force 60th Anniversary commemoration, all the folks who help provide information for the history reports, or without the leadership and guidance of the wing leaders."

The event included a rousing USO tribute and music by the Haynes Sisters, a POW/MIA remembrance ceremony, a guest speech by Chief Master Sgt. Robert Tappana, 19th Air Force command chief, the presentation of awards, and concluded with the Air Force song and the recitation of the Airman's Creed.