Air Commando volunteers nominated for service

  • Published
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  Fifty Team Hurlburt individuals and organizations received nominations for Angel Awards and Volunteer Excellence Awards for volunteer service in 2012. 

The Volunteer Resource Program received the nominations in respective military and civilian categories from across the community as part of their annual ceremony to recognize the individual and collective impact of all Hurlburt volunteers. 

"Volunteering has been a long-standing tradition in the Air Force," said Marisa Olin, coordinator of the Volunteer Resource Program at the Airman & Family Center. "But it is those members who go above and beyond to volunteer on their off-time to causes they believe in that sets extraordinary Airmen apart from their peers. It is these Airmen who tirelessly give when no one is looking who truly embody the Air Force's core value of 'Excellence in All We Do.'"

In 2011, Hurlburt volunteers provided nearly 235,000 hours of their own time dedicated to helping more than 100 organizations on base and throughout the Emerald Coast, producing a savings of more than five million dollars in labor/wage costs. 

Olin said this year's total nominations represented a record in the program's history, including more than double the previous year's total nominations.

"Our volunteers are the extraordinary people at Hurlburt Field who have a passion for bettering our lives and environment," Olin said. "Our volunteers give their time, compassion, efforts, skills, passion and expertise to the volunteer projects and activities they participate in. Since each volunteer is unique, each volunteer makes a difference in their own modest way. Hurlburt Field volunteer efforts contribute to righting wrongs, guiding children, saving pets, visiting the lonely, distributing meals, driving someone safely home, lending an ear or simply sharing a smile. All of these efforts make our corner of the world - Hurlburt Field and the Emerald Coast - a little happier, healthier, safer, and simply a better place to live."

While highlighting all nominees for their service, Olin emphasized the importance of helping others in the community above all else.

"Whether our personnel and their dependents utilize the Volunteer Newsletter or volunteer through another means, the focus is always about volunteering," she said. "Team Hurlburt actively seeks out volunteer opportunities and fulfills the needs the community so desperately needs filled. I encourage the use of the newsletter or even the word of mouth on volunteer events, but ultimately it is the encouragement and the support of one another that help our volunteers succeed, and thus our community succeed as well."

According to the awards' descriptions, the Angel Award is a prestigious award that was established by Eunice Welch, wife of retired General Larry D. Welch, Former Chief of Staff of the Air Force, to recognize up to six individuals and one team for their outstanding volunteer contributions to military installations during the previous calendar year.

The Volunteer Excellence Award was established by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force to recognize up to four individuals annually for their long-term outstanding volunteer contributions to any military installation and its surrounding communities. This is an esteemed, once-in-a lifetime honor. Nominees can be: federal civilians, military family members, military retirees or federal retirees. 

All nominees will be recognized and the award recipients will be announced during the 2012 Volunteer Recognition Ceremony at the Soundside Club May 1 at 1:00pm. 

"Because they give day-in and day-out, they bring a joy to the communities they serve that is simply immeasurable," Olin said. "It is abundantly clear that Hurlburt certainly would not be the same without our selfless volunteers. Therefore, the focus of the ceremony is so all of these volunteers can get all the kudos they so very much deserve."

Active-Duty Nominees
  • Capt. Jonathan Eizenberg, Headquarters/Air Force Special Operations Command
  • Master Sgt. Edwin Baldomero, 1st Special Operations Contracting Squadron
  • Master Sgt. Terry Wright, 15th Special Operations Squadron
  • Tech. Sgt. KaSandra Lee, 1st Special Operations Medical Group
  • Tech. Sgt. Anthony Sanger, 14th Weapons Squadron
  • Tech. Sgt. Isaac Smith, 18th Flight Test Squadron
  • Staff Sgt. Geoffrey Barger, 1st Special Operations Communications Squadron
  • Staff Sgt. Travis Carroll, 1st Special Operations Communications Squadron
  • Staff Sgt. Mike Hulst, 1st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
  • Staff Sgt. Clifford Roberts, 1st Special Operations Contracting Squadron
  • Staff Sgt. Anthony Emerson, 23rd Special Tactics Squadron
  • Staff Sgt. William Williams, 823rd RED HORSE
  • Senior Airman Jacob Adams, 1st Special Operations Equipment Maintenance Squadron
  • Senior Airman Adam Borgman, 1st Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron
  • Senior Airman Nichole Clohessy, 1st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
  • Senior Airman Amanda Dalton, 1st Special Operations Communications Squadron
  • Senior Airman Jason Harvey, 801st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
  • Senior Airman Brian Large, 1st Special Operations Communications Squadron
  • Senior Airman Joe W. McFadden, 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
  • Senior Airman Stefanie Simon, 1st Special Operations Contracting Squadron
  • Senior Airman Zuzana Vankova, 1st Special Operations Security Forces Squadron
  • Airman 1st Class Barrye Collins, 1st Special Operations Maintenance Operations Squadron
  • Airman 1st Class Rayna Yamamoto, 1st Special Operations Communications Squadron
Civilian Employee Nominees

  • Edwina Freeman, Air Force Special Operations Command/A6
  • Camille Terruso, 1st Special Operations Force Support Squadron
  • Matthew Terruso, 1st Special Operations Force Support Squadron
Family Member Nominees
  • Donna Bagley, 801st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
  • Erin Bluth, 1st Special Operations Medical Group
  • Cassandra Floyd, Hurlburt Spouses Club
  • Tracy Lott, Hurlburt Spouses Club
  • Amber Ryan, Key Spouse, 9th Special Operations Squadron
  • Maria Woodberry, 1st Special Operations Wing Chapel
Youth Nominees

  • Hallie Bouressa, 1st Special Operations Youth Group
  • Dylan Chapman, Paint Ball, 1st Special Operations Force Support Squadron
  • Hannah Gressett, 1st Special Operations Youth Group
  • Katherine Gressett, 1st Special Operations Youth Group
  • John Slife, 1st Special Operations Youth Group
  • Sarah Slife, 1st Special Operations Youth Group
  • Matt Strohmeyer, Paint Ball, 1st Special Operations Force Support Squadron
  • Ben Woodberry, 1st Special Operations Youth Group
Civilian from Community Nominee

  • Wayne Smith, Hurlburt Tax Office
Team Nominees

  • 1st Special Operations Youth Group
  • American Red Cross/ Hurlburt Pharmacy Volunteers, 1st Special Operations Medical Group
  • Hurlburt Airman's Voice
  • Hurlburt Retiree Activities Office
  • Hurlburt Spouses Club
  • The Joint Enlisted League of Hurlburt Field
Volunteer Excellence Award Nominees
  • Giles Adcock, Hurlburt Spouses Club, Hurlburt Thrift Shop
  • Donna L. Bagley, 801st Special Operations Aircraft Maitenance Squadron
  • Rollan Moriak, 505th Combat Training Squadton
For more information on volunteering opportunities in the community, contact Olin at 884-5441 or check out the Volunteer Resource Program's weekly newsletter at www.myhurlburt.com.