Photo By Capt. Andrew Layton | Five members of the 110th Attack Wing were presented with the Gen. Omar Bradley award...... read more read more
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BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – On Nov. 2, 2018, the Battle Creek Area Chamber of Commerce held its 62nd annual Military Appreciation Luncheon. During the event, five airmen from the 110th Attack Wing, Battle Creek Air National Guard Base, were recognized with the Chamber’s Gen. Omar Bradley Award for outstanding support of the 110th’s mission over the past twelve months.
“The Chamber has been doing this for 62 years to recognize the military,” said Kara Beer, president, Battle Creek Area Chamber of Commerce. “We have a longstanding history with the military here in our town – especially Fort Custer.”
During World War I, Fort Custer was one of the largest facilities nationwide that prepared “doughboys” to fight in the trenches of Europe. Beer was quick to point out that the Battle Creek Area Chamber of Commerce commissioned the land to build the fort in 1917.
“We had a strong presence last year for the centennial,” added Beer. “We have always honored and loved what we’ve been able to do together with our military.”
While the Chamber hosts other events throughout the year designed to give local military and business leaders opportunities to mingle, the Military Appreciation Luncheon is specifically focused on honoring the meritorious accomplishments of individual servicemen and women from the Battle Creek area.
“The awards are named in honor of Gen. Omar Bradley, one of America’s greatest Generals,” said Beer. “He commanded the largest American force ever assembled under one individual and was later the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”
Beer added that Bradley’s career was one of the greatest and longest examples of service in U.S. history.
The five recipients from the 110th Attack Wing were Master Sgt. Brett Miller, 110th Medical Group, Master Sgt. Melanie Pomerville, 217th Air Operations Group, 272d Cyber Operations Squadron, Tech Sgt. Kristen Dey, 110th Operations Group, Tech. Sgt. Rick Van Seters, and Senior Airman Pablo Cordero-Lopez, 110th Communications Squadron.
The awards were presented by T. R. Shaw, chairman of the Battle Creek Chamber of Commerce’s Military Affairs Committee.
In citations accompanying the awards, each airman was praised for exemplary performance in their respective specialties:
- Miller; for his superb leadership and innovation as manager of the Wing’s bioenvironmental program.
- Pomerville; for process improvements for training in Command & Control operations under the 217 AOG’s support mission for U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) and U.S. African Command (AFRICOM).
- Dey; for outstanding administrative support of the 110 OG’s MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) mission, enabling over 36,066 combat flight hours.
- Van Seters; for exceptional contributions to the stand-up of the new 272 COS cyber defense facility, and for enabling the squadron’s first operations mobilization.
- Cordero-Lopez; for design and installation of on-base network capability, and for volunteering as a translator during hurricane relief operations in Puerto Rico, serving over 1,800 vulnerable citizens.
Additionally, Sgt. 1st Class Jessica Kowalski, Michigan Army National Guard, was recognized for excellence in a variety of support capacities at Fort Custer Training Center, along with other top performers from local U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Defense Logistics Agency, and Veterans Affairs Administration facilities.
Keynote speakers at the luncheon were Sandra Pearson, president & CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Michigan and Beverly Kelley, executive director, Battle Creek Area Habitat for Humanity, who discussed how their organization lends aid to local veterans and their families.
According to Col. Bryan Teff, commander of the 110th Attack Wing, gratitude from military personnel for the Chamber's efforts in hosting the event is mutual.
“Our relationship with the Battle Creek community continues to be very strong,” said Teff. “We appreciate their outstanding support of our people and missions.”
Teff says that in addition to fostering partnerships between local community and military entities, there is tremendous value in showcasing the work of local service personnel that often leaves a positive impact not just in the immediate community, but across the globe.
“The Air National Guard is by definition a community-based organization,” said Teff. “The military appreciation luncheon, hosted by the Battle Creek Chamber of Commerce, is an ideal way to recognize our elite Airmen in front of the exceptional citizens and leadership of the Battle Creek community.”
| Date Taken: | 11.03.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 11.03.2018 09:41 |
| Story ID: | 298725 |
| Location: | BATTLE CREEK, MI, US |
| Web Views: | 318 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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