SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Air Mobility Command officials announced named four Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2010 during the command's OAY banquet, April 1.
Each of the four winners were named from a field of 12 finalists in Airman, NCO, senior NCO and first sergeant categories. The four Airmen who won the AMC titles will now compete at Air Force level. Following are the winners:
2010 Air Mobility Command Airman of the Year
Senior Airman Kristina Zacherl
6th Operations Support Squadron, MacDill AFB, Fla.
Zacherl is an air traffic controller at MacDill AFB and is currently deployed to Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn. According to her award information, in 2010 while supporting Operation Unified Response, Zacherl "expedited traffic for 70 sorties moving more than 290 tons of supplies providing hope and assistance to more than 3 million Haitians."
According to her biography, Zacherl is a native of Philadelphia and joined the Air Force in 2007. She fulfilled a year commitment as a base honor guard member and obtained her Community College of the Air Force associates degree in air traffic operations and management in June 2010.
Zacherl also won her squadron's Airman of the Quarter award four times and was selected as the 6th Operations Group Airman of the Year, the biography shows. She attended Airman Leadership School in November 2010 and received the John Levitow Award -- the top award -- for her scholastic success and leadership values. She is the recipient of the Air Force Achievement Medal and is recognized by her co-workers and leaders for "her hard work and dedication."
2010 Air Mobility Command NCO of the Year
Master Sgt. Tanya Hubbard
60th Medical Operations Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
Hubbard is the flight chief for the emergency department in the 60th MOS at Travis AFB. According to her award information, she "provided superior leadership in managing six-thousand patient visits." In addition, while deployed to Haiti in support of Operation Unified Response, she led the "first-ever" Air Force water patient transfer operation, cared for more than 3,000 earthquake victims and relocated 250 critically-injured patients. Additionally, the award information shows, "she developed training scenarios to facilitate integration of the 60th Air Mobility Wing and California disaster response teams."
Hubbard's biography shows Hubbard is a native of Jefferson City, Mo., and she joined the Air Force in 1997. Throughout her career, the biography shows she has excelled in positions she has been assigned to.
As a senior airman, Hubbard's leadership was recognized and she was chosen to lead a women's health clinic. In 2006, she earned her base medical group's outstanding medical technician of the year for the airman category. She deployed as a security escort to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, after the USS Cole was bombed in 2000. "Just one year later, Sergeant Hubbard was part of the first military medical team to touch down at "ground-zero" after the attack on the Pentagon and World Trade Centers," the biography states.
In 2008, Hubbard moved to her current assignment at Travis AFB. She filled the flight chief position in the family medicine clinic and is now the flight chief of the emergency department. Since her arrival at Travis AFB, Hubbard has become a key member of the base's newly-created "Humanitarian Response Team."
2010 Air Mobility Command Senior NCO of Year
Senior Master Sgt. Patrick Jones
375th Civil Engineer Squadron, Scott AFB, Ill.
Jones is the operations superintendent for the 375th CES at Scott AFB. According to his award information, during 2010 he directed 250 engineers, maintained more than 820 facilities, and managed $1.4 million budget. He also led the snow recovery efforts that enabled Scott AFB personnel to accomplish their airlift tasking mission in support of multiple world-wide operations. "Additionally, he is the co-founder of the Louisiana teen program where he authored after school tutoring courses helping to keep more than 260 underprivileged youths off the streets."
According to his biography, Jones is a native of Shreveport, La., and he entered the Air Force in 1989. He arrived at his first base, Tinker AFB, Okla., as a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration specialist in 1990. In addition to Tinker AFB, during his career he has served at Howard Air Base, Panama; Beale AFB, Calif.; Misawa AB, Japan; and more than five years in various positions in the Republic of Korea.
Jones has deployed numerous times in his career to include for operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and more recently for Operation Enduring Freedom where he served with Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix in Afghanistan. He has earned three Air Force Meritorious Service Medals, two Air Force Commendation Medals, an Army Commendation Medal and two Air Force Achievement Medals. He has also earned the distinguished graduate award as a senior airman for Airman Leadership School, numerous quarterly and annual awards and has previously earned the AMC Chief Master Sgt. Larry Daniel Award given to Airmen in the civil engineering career field.
2010 Air Mobility Command First Sergeant of Year
Master Sgt. Michael Moore Jr.
92nd Security Forces Squadron, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
Moore is the first sergeant for the 92nd Security Forces Squadron at Fairchild AFB. According to his award information, in 2010 he deployed to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, on a joint expeditionary tasking in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. During his deployment Sergeant Moore was "responsible for the morale and welfare of 825 warriors spanning 88 Air Force specialty codes across 54 forward operating bases." He established personnel programs that were replicated across the theater and his leadership "led to his selection as the 92nd Air Refueling Wing's Lance P. Sijan Award nominee" for 2010.
According to his biography, Moore is a native of Orlando, Fla., and he joined the Air Force in 1990. As the first sergeant for the 92nd SFS, he is the principle advisor to the commander on all issues affecting the readiness, health, morale, welfare and discipline for more than 225 personnel.
In addition to deploying to Afghanistan, Moore deployed in support of operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa serving as fuels maintenance supervisor for the 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron and the 380th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron at two different non-disclosed bases in Southwest Asia. He has also served as first sergeant for the 92nd Communications Squadron at Fairchild AFB.
'Congratulations'
In a March 2011 message from Gen. Raymond E. Johns Jr., AMC commander, he noted the "competition this year was fierce" to determine AMC's winners.
"All of the candidates demonstrated tremendous leadership and dedication," Johns said in the message. "Please accept my sincere congratulations to the nominees, and thanks to all the mobility Airmen for making a positive difference around the world and across the entire spectrum of operations.
"Thank you to all of our mobility airmen," Johns also said in the message. "Your commitment, initiative and leadership are making a difference around the world. Congratulations again to our finalists, and my best wishes for your continued success."