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JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq — Staff Sgt. Kevin Hofkens is the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing's Tuskegee Airman of the Week, for May 11 - 17.
Brig. Gen. Brian Bishop, 332nd AEW commander, presented Sgt. Hofkens with the award and a commander's coin during a ceremony, May 22.
Sgt. Hofkens, 332nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle-maintenance technician deployed here from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, performs maintenance on Mine Resistant Ambush Protection combat vehicles.
On-duty, Sgt. Hofkens custom-insulated an MRAP vehicle chassis, preventing an over-head wire mitigation crew electrocution hazard and thereby improved the safety of security forces Airmen using the combat vehicle.
Also, he identified MRAP problems with the door pins and rear-door closure. Upon identifying the problems, Sgt. Hofkens fabricated new and improved door pins, and built custom egress steps for the rear door on eight MRAP vehicles in one week.
"The MRAP vehicles are very important to the mission of security forces Airmen," Gen. Bishop said. "They rely on those vehicles daily outside the wire. I thank you Sgt. Hofkens for your commitment and hard work. Col. Decknick, (332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Group commander) sings your praises loudly for keeping the MRAP fleet out there in the fight."
Off-duty, Sgt. Hofkens completed his Community College of the Air Force degree in vehicle management and is working on a bachelor's degree in accounting.
"I'm trying to stay busy, whether it be working out, volunteering or attending school," Sgt. Hofkens said. "I wasn't trying to win an award, I was just trying to work hard to make time pass faster so I can get home and see my wife.
"I didn't do this on my own," added the Menasha, Wis., native. "My supervisor, Tech. Sgt. Nathan Nielsen, really set me up for success."
Sgt. Hofkens' supervisor did not take credit for the success of the Airman.
"[Sgt. Hofkens] succeeds on his own," said Sgt. Nielsen, 332nd ELRS force protection maintenance NCO-in-charge. "He is always willing to tackle any job and has a rare interest in the 'why' something works rather than blindly changing parts.
"I've never had to question his work ethic, his attention to detail, or his rationale behind the course of repairs he chooses," continued the Tomahawk, Wis., native deployed here from Lajes Field, the Azores, Portugal. "Sgt. Hofkens has a unique ability to understand a complex vehicle system and the patience to explain or train other Airmen everything he knows."
The 332nd AEW Tuskegee Airman of the Week is selected based on an Airman's accomplishments both on- and off-duty. Airmen in the pay grades of E-1 to E-5 are eligible.
| Date Taken: | 05.25.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 05.25.2009 02:39 |
| Story ID: | 34044 |
| Location: | BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 332 |
| Downloads: | 258 |
This work, Tuskegee Airman of the Week May 11 - 17, by MSgt John Gordinier, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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