Q and A: JB Charleston fuels Airman ‘pumped’ for award

Photo By Staff Sgt. Christian Sullivan | Staff Sgt. Christopher Stuebbe, 628th Logistics Readiness Squadron forward area refueling point team chief, poses in front of his team’s sign June 17, 2019, at Joint Base Charleston, S.C. Stuebbe won Air Mobility Command’s NCO of the year, leading to a nomination for 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christian Sullivan)  

JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, SC, UNITED STATES

06.14.2019

Story by Senior Airman Christian Sullivan 

Joint Base Charleston

Staff Sgt. Christopher Stuebbe, 628th Logistics Readiness Squadron forward area refueling point team chief, from Joint Base Charleston, S.C. won Air Mobility Command’s NCO of the year, beating out 10 AMC installations, leading to a nomination to be one of the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year, one of the Air Force’s most prestigious awards.

The FARP consists of specialized Airmen who operate in austere environments at deployed locations, providing fueling points to various rotary and fixed wing aircraft.

Stuebbe sat down for an interview to discuss his role with the FARP and his achievement.

Q1: What do you do here and how did it enable you to win this award?

A: I’m in charge of a $1 million equipment account and have 12 Airmen under me on the FARP team. I’m responsible for making sure our guys are ready.

Q2: What’s the difference in your job here day-to-day, and when you’re in a contested environment?

A: Here it’s really just making sure Airmen and equipment are ready for a deployed environment. We train here doing what we do downrange. Deployed, we land in a country in the middle of nowhere and set up a fuel site and then jump back to wherever the mission is.

Q3: When you found out you won AMC NCO of the year how did you feel?

A: I felt awesome. I wasn’t expecting to be put up for any of that. I love doing my job and I love doing it very well. I love going above and beyond and finding extra stuff to do. When I won it, it was very humbling because I get a paycheck to do what I love every day and the fact I’m getting an award for something like that is amazing.

Q4: I remember hearing a specific reaction when Col. Adams called to tell you you’ve won, tell me about that.

A: I had the flu at the time so I was in and out of sleeping all day and I heard my phone ringing and it said it was Maj. Barrett, our commander, and I pick it up and it’s Col. Adams. He was talking about a FARP tryout he was about to go through with us and after I was done explaining it, he said, ‘oh yeah, one more thing, I just wanted to let you know you’re AMC’s NCO of the year.’ I said ‘are you (explicative) me?’ I swore because I got so excited then just kept saying thank you over and over again. I couldn’t believe the fact the base commander was calling me to tell me I had just won an award I didn’t expect to win.

Q5: As of right now we don’t know if you’ve been named one of the 12 OAY, so talk about how you are going to react and carry on the mission if you lose or if you win.

A: If I lose, I’m still going to be doing what I’m out here doing now. I’ve got a bunch of new programs we’re working on with the Airmen and with Col. Adams. We’re going to be working with the Citadel for tactical fitness training, still going to volunteer and still going to go above and beyond for my guys, nothing’s going to change. I’m at the top. If I do win it, I’ll probably say some more swear words, probably yell a bunch and probably call everyone in my family to tell them I did it. If I win, it just goes to show all my hard work is paying off and I’ll be really happy. It’ll be such an amazing feeling because I can use it to inspire others.

• Date Taken: 06.14.2019
• Date Posted: 06.18.2019 10:18
• Story ID: 327961
• Location: JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, SC, US
• Hometown: PAINESVILLE, OH, US