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AFCEC's Airfield Pavement Evaluation Team wins One Air Force Award

  • Published
  • By Veronica Kemeny
  • Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) --  The Air Force Civil Engineer Center’s Airfield Pavement Evaluation Team received the General Mark A. Welsh III One Air Force Award for demonstrating improved effectiveness, operational readiness and mission accomplishment through integrated solutions.

This Air Force-level award recognizes mission success achieved by a team of two or more Total Force components. Active-duty, Guard, Reserve, Civil Air Patrol, or Department of Defense civilians from major commands and direct reporting units can be considered for this award.

“This Total Force team is one of a kind in our Air Force and their skills are required worldwide,” said Col. John Tryon, director of AFCEC operations. “Because of that, they are some of the busiest folks in the military, and every day they directly support the warfighters at the tip of the sword and their ability to fly, fight and win.”

A primary subordinate unit of Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, the AFCEC APE Team is located at Tyndall Air Force Base but provides service for pavement evaluation around the world. They are responsible for tracking the status and assessing the lifecycle repair times for 2.2 billion square feet of pavement valued at $20 billion across the Air Force.

“This award validates the incredible hard work of the APE Team as the Air Force’s best Total Force team,” said Capt. John Kulikowski, AFCEC former branch chief, airfield pavement evaluation. “Our team is constantly on the road providing world-class warfighter support to the operational and engineering communities. Our dedication to destructive and non-destructive testing and certification of airfields across the globe ensures lethality of airpower.”

APE’s mission is to provide agile combat support to the DoD through timely and accurate airfield pavement evaluations, and provide technical recommendations, equipment, and software for the management, design, and construction of pavements.

“It’s quite an accomplishment,” said Tech. Sgt. Zach Dorris, AFCEC APE technician. “Being a member on the team is hard work but very rewarding. The mission is second to none and will definitely be a highlight of my career.”

A dedicated APE Team ensures there are no show stoppers for the 6.2 million aircraft sorties flown per year across the Air Force.

“I am so proud of our hardworking and dedicated APE Team members, made up of active duty, Reserve and civilians, who are so deserving of this recognition,” said Tryon.

The General Mark A. Welsh III One Air Force Award winners from AFCEC at Tyndall AFB are the following:
Team Lead: Capt. John Kulikowski
Maj. Robert Rogers
Maj. Andrew Jouben
Capt. Sean Gann
Capt. John Stribling
Capt. Benjamin Johnson
Capt. Kyle Imhoff
Senior Master Sgt. Robinson Hidalgo
Master Sgt. James Dixon
Master Sgt. Bruce King
Master Sgt. Ruben Hernandez
Master Sgt. Johan Almanzar
Tech. Sgt. Allin Pequit
Tech. Sgt. Eric Carpenter
Tech. Sgt. Zachary Dorris
Tech. Sgt. Travis Ripple
Staff Sgt. Nikita Kraev
Staff Sgt. Christopher Kain
Richard Smith
Harold Muniz
Giselle Concepcion
Jaimie Pittman