Enlisted award winners fly high

A crew chief checks the helmet of Senior Airman Jillian Goins, a search and rescue controller from the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Dec. 14. Goins, who was 1st Air Force’s Airman of the Quarter, received an incentive flight in an F-4 Phantom as part of a new initiative designed to provide more rewards to the command’s top enlisted performers. (U.S. Air Force photo by Angela Pope)

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U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Brett Dunning, an intelligence analyst from the 601st Air and Space Operations Center and a former F-15 crew chief, does a pre-flight check on an F-4 Phantom at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Dec. 14. Dunning, who was the 601st AOC’s Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, received an incentive flight in an F-4 as part of a new initiative designed to provide more rewards to the command’s top enlisted performers. (U.S. Air Force photo by Angela Pope)

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U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Brett Dunning, right, an intelligence analyst from the 601st Air and Space Operations Center, and Tom Mudge, an F-4 pilot from the 82nd Aerial Target Squadron, pause to take a picture before their flight at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Dec. 14. Dunning, who was the 601st AOC’s Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, received an incentive flight in an F-4 as part of a new initiative designed to provide more rewards to the command’s top enlisted performers. (U.S. Air Force photo by Angela Pope)

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Enlisted award winners fly high

An F-4 Phantom rolls down the runway at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Dec. 14. Four Airmen from the Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region-1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern) received incentive flights in an F-4 as part of a new initiative designed to provide more rewards to the command’s top enlisted performers. (U.S. Air Force photo by Angela Pope)

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U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Karrie Warren, assistant superintendent of the 601st Air and Space Operations Center’s Combat Operations Division, puts on flight gear at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Dec. 15. Warren, who was the 601st AOC’s Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, received an incentive flight in an F-4 as part of a new initiative designed to provide more rewards to the command’s top enlisted performers. (U.S. Air Force photo by Angela Pope)

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U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Stephen McGuire, a command and control systems administrator from the 601st Air and Space Operations Center, receives a flight brief from Mike MacWilliam, a pilot from the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Dec. 15. McGuire, who was the 601st AOC’s Airman of the Year, received an incentive flight in an F-4 as part of a new initiative designed to provide more rewards to the command’s top enlisted performers. (U.S. Air Force photo by Angela Pope)

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U.S. Air Force Mike MacWilliam, a pilot from the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group, helps Staff Sgt. Stephen McGuire, a command and control systems administrator from the 601st Air and Space Operations Center, put on his flight gear at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Dec. 15. McGuire, who was the 601st AOC’s Airman of the Year, received an incentive flight in an F-4 as part of a new initiative designed to provide more rewards to the command’s top enlisted performers. (U.S. Air Force photo by Angela Pope)

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Enlisted award winners fly high

Published Dec. 21, 2011
By Angela Pope
AFNORTH Public Affairs

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Four Airmen from the Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region-1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern) took off into the wild blue yonder in an F-4 Phantom recently, thanks to a new initiative designed to offer more rewards to the command's top enlisted performers.

"I want our organization to raise the bar for the award incentive program the same way our award winners raise the bar in performance of their duties," said Lt. Gen. Sid Clarke, Continental U.S. NORAD Region-1st AF (AFNORTH) commander. "This is about honoring our people in a way that's commensurate with the level of their performance. While we have always paid tribute to our award winners, we are constantly looking for ways to make that recognition more meaningful."

The incentive flights were the first addition to a revamped award program that eventually will reward award winners with parking spots and pictures inside the 1st Air Force headquarters building.

The first four Airmen selected for the flights were Senior Airman Jillian Goins, HQ 1st Air Force's Airman of the Quarter; Staff Sgt. Brett Dunning, 601st Air and Space Operations Center's Noncommissioned Officer of the Year; Staff Sgt. Stephen McGuire, 601st AOC's Airman of the Year; and Master Sgt. Karrie Warren, 601st AOC's Senior NCO of the Year.

"When I was asked if I wanted to take a flight, I almost jumped out of my chair," said Warren, the assistant superintendent of the 601st AOC's Combat Operations Division.

All of the other award winners said they shared Warren's disbelief and shock at the opportunity to take a flight in an F-4.

"When my first sergeant asked me if I'd be interested in a flight, I thought I'd misheard her," said McGuire, a command and control system administrator with the 601st AOC.

The award winners each spent about an hour in flight with pilots from the 82nd Aerial Target Squadron Dec. 14 and 15.

"I'm honored to take part in this wonderful initiative," said Lt. Col. Greg Blount, a standards and evaluation pilot from the 53rd WEG who piloted two of the incentive flights. "We are happy to share our unique mission with our Tyndall counterparts by providing AFNORTH's enlisted award winners with this great reward."

While some of the Airmen got a little queasy during their flights, they all said they were grateful for the opportunity.

"I think it's great that General Clarke is pushing this initiative," said Dunning, an intelligence analyst at the 601st AOC. "Incentives like this aren't my motivation to excel at my job, but it's definitely a nice bonus when people like me are offered once-in-a-lifetime opportunities like this in addition to the award."

As part of this new initiative, Clarke plans on offering incentive flights to all of the command's enlisted quarterly and annual award winners.

"Our enlisted award winners go above and beyond in the performance of their duty every day," Clarke said. "This is the least we can do to show our appreciation for their hard work and dedication."