Vance NCO garners AETC award

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Mary Davis
  • Public Affairs
Vance Air Force Base, Okla. --  The command post is a vital base information hub during emergencies and day-to-day operations.
Now imagine their manning cut by more than 50 percent, but having to perform the same critical duties.
That's what Staff Sgt. Chelsea Yun, command post NCO in charge, had to deal with last year, and her perseverance and dedication to overcome her obstacles were the main reasons she was chosen as the 2005 Command Post NCO of the Year for Air Education and Training Command.
"It was a tough year for our office -- our command post superintendent retired and several of our Airmen had left the Air Force because of force shaping," said Sergeant Yun, an 11-year-career NCO from Marietta, Ga. "It was a challenging time for all of us."
Filling in as the superintendent, Sergeant Yun and the controllers worked 12-hour-shifts to keep the agency fully-operational, 24 hours a day.
"Keeping morale high was difficult at this time," she said. "Especially during the summer, when people wanted to take leave, but couldn't."
What the command post lacked in people during the operational readiness inspection last August, they made up for in experience and enthusiasm.
"I had to learn a lot about the managerial part of the job quickly, and there wasn't much room for error," she said. "It wasn't easy, but everyone had a positive attitude and I relied on their experience to get the mission accomplished."
In 2005, Sergeant Yun restructured operational reporting procedures yielding 95 percent error free reports and garnering a best practice within the major command. She took the lead on a $100,000 command post upgrade project that improved security and base communications systems. She also coordinated the installation of the wing's new giant voice alerting system -- the first base in AETC and the Air Force with such an innovative system providing alert notifications via giant voice, telephone and computer network.
Having a supportive team at home helped her focus on the difficult tasks at work, she said.
"I'm lucky to have such a supportive husband and family," said Sergeant Yun, who will sew on technical sergeant and relocate to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, next month. "My husband, John, was always checking up on me at work, asking me if I needed anything and listening when I needed him to. I couldn't have gotten through this without him."
Now the command post has more manning and there is time to relax and reflect back on last year's accomplishments, Sergeant Yun said she wouldn't change a thing.
"Last year's hardships provided us all with a great learning experience," she said. "This award is a credit to our command post team. They made this happen and helped me become a stronger leader."
Her win was no surprise to her command post supervisor, Master Sgt. Robert English.
"Sergeant Yun is an outstanding Airman and is truly deserving of this award," said the command post superintendent. "She is highly motivated and dedicated and always goes the extra mile to get the job accomplished."