KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFNS) -- Maj. Gen. John T. Rauch Jr., Air Force chief of safety, recently announced the recipients of the five Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff Safety Awards, as well as the Chief of Safety Awards for 2018.
"We had a remarkable group of nominees this year, but these Airmen genuinely stood out," Rauch said. "Effective risk management and mishap prevention are cornerstones to the Air Force Safety Program, but it takes determined leadership to identify when risk must be accepted to accelerate our operations. These Airmen set the example for the Air Force.”
Air Force Safety Award winners are:
Secretary of the Air Force Safety Award
Air Mobility Command
Major General Benjamin D. Foulois Memorial Award
Air Combat Command
Colonel Will L. Tubbs Memorial Award for Ground Safety
U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa
Koren Kolligian Jr. Trophy
Capt. Matthew T. Heath, 71st Flying Training Wing, Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma
Chief of Staff of the Air Force Aircrew of Distinction Award
Crew of Hawk 91, 28th Bomb Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
Air Force Chief of Safety Special Achievement Award
Maj. Robert A. Kamber, Air Force Special Operations Command Safety, Hurlburt Field, Florida
Air Force Safety Officer of the Year
Capt. John-David L. Webb, 305th Air Mobility Wing Safety, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey (AMC)
Air Force Civilian Safety Professional of the Year
Gary Ashe, 60th Air Mobility Wing Safety, Travis AFB, California (AMC)
Air Force Enlisted Safety Professional of the Year
Master Sgt. Justin R. Musall, 735th Air Mobility Squadron, JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii (AMC)
Air Force Chief of Safety Aviation Maintenance Safety Award
Mr. Gerardo Valdez Jr., 509th Maintenance Squadron, Whiteman AFB, Missouri (Air Force Global Strike Command)
Air Force Chief of Safety Outstanding Achievement Award for Occupational Safety
Category I - Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex Safety (Air Force Materiel Command)
Category II – 502nd Air Base Wing Safety, JB San Antonio, Texas (Air Education and Training Command)
Category III - 509th Bomb Wing Safety, Whiteman AFB, Missouri (AFGSC)
Category IV -435th Air Expeditionary Wing Safety, Ramstein Air Base, Germany (USAFE)
Category V - 724th Air Mobility Squadron Safety, Aviano AB, Italy (AMC)
Air Force Nuclear Surety Outstanding Achievement Award
31st Fighter Wing Weapons Safety, Aviano AB, Italy (USAFE)
Air Force Chief of Safety Outstanding Achievement Award for Weapons Safety
Tech. Sgt. Scott A. Roode, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Safety, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan (U.S. Air Forces Central Command)
Air Force Chief of Safety Space Safety Award
45th Space Wing Safety Technologies Team, Patrick AFB, Florida (Air Force Space Command)
Aero Club Safety Certificate
Robins AFB Aero Club, Robins AFB, Georgia (AFMC)