Photo By Airman 1st Class Sarah Welch | Capt. Aaron Nebeker, contracting officer of the 124th Mission Support Group for the...... read more read more
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(GOWEN FIELD) — Capt. Aaron Nebeker, contracting officer of the 124th Mission Support Group for the Idaho Air National Guard 124th Fighter Wing, Boise, Idaho, received the Air Combat Command 2024 Contracting Officer of the Year award at Gowen Field on Friday, January 24, 2025.
Nebeker was recognized in front of family, friends and fellow leaders for his outstanding achievements, much of which happened while deployed.
“As I think about this award, I'm reminded of the people around me,” said Nebeker.. “I want to say thank you to my office. I love my office. We have the greatest office on base.,” said Nebecker. “I thank them for preparing me for deployment. I thank the office that I deployed with, the personnel and my family and friends that surround me here locally.”
Maj. Jeffrey DeHaven, base contracting officer, was the presiding official over the ceremony, which included the pinning of the medal.
The Contracting Officer award was won at the Air Combat Command level, which is a major command of the United States Air Force, for Nebeker’s distinguished leadership and implementation as director of operations for a deployed location within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility April 2024 to October 2024.
“My goal has been that when my Airmen deploy, they can drop into any situation and make a difference,” said Maj. DeHaven. “Seeing what Capt. Nebeker did over there for the joint operations. I knew the system is working as I intended, and it made me super proud that our training goals are being met.”
During his time supporting the Operations Inherent Resolve and Spartan Shield, Nebeker made a huge impact, well beyond his scope of work with an impressive list of achievements. Nebeker led a 10-person team to manage the wing’s contract portfolio, supporting over 1,500 joint force personnel. He created and facilitated numerous processes and procedures to increase productivity, efficiency and budget for the base and the mission.
“He got to do a lot of commercial contracting in a contingency environment and it was great to see his ability and really dive into the commercial world. It really made me happy and then the third thing I really enjoyed was the clear evidence of relationship building, understanding the workload and work flowing, correcting workflow to his subordinates, and the fact that he was able to be adaptable and versatile,” Maj. Dehaven concluded.
While spearheading the contracting priorities and team, he also successfully led the deployed communications squadron through a complex base-wide technical refresh project. Additionally, his business savvy was indispensable to global dominance as he integrated with ACC to allocate resources for the MQ-9 Reaper contract. Nebeker leveraged his contracting and leadership expertise to facilitate, negotiate and make positive change for the mission.
Beyond his many accomplishments on the job, Nebeker created a sense of community and social opportunity for those on base. Nebeker committed to creating safe workspaces by volunteering his time as a Peer Liaison team member and dedicated his time to outreach events. He enjoyed social involvement and extra fitness playing in the base basketball league, which included seven teams and even a draft selection.
“Even though you are deployed, you can still find something that connects you with people,” said Nebeker on the importance of creating an outlet. “A way to bond, meet people and keep your interests, and passions. Sports have always been an important part of my life before leaving for deployment.”
Nebeker brings 14 years of contracting experience both in the military and the civilian side. He served four years of active duty in the Air Force and later joined the 124th FW in 2017. Nebeker spent ten years with the U.S. Department of Energy as a civilian.
As Nebeker humbly accepted his award, he emphasized the importance of the people in his life in his remarks. A supporting family, dedicated team and an empowering leadership team that prepared him well.
Throughout his career, Nebeker has demonstrated a commitment to the wing, operational priorities and the mission.
| Date Taken: | 01.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.03.2025 15:22 |
| Story ID: | 499557 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 28 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Capt. Nebeker awarded 2024 Meritorious Service Medal for Outstanding Guardsman, by A1C Sarah Welch, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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