Photo By Senior Airman Renee Blundon | U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Brett Foster, 22nd Attack Squadron commander, presents Capt....... read more read more
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CREECH AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. - U.S. Air Force Capt. Carol Stephens, an MQ-9 Reaper pilot with the 22nd Attack Squadron here, was recognized on Sept. 15, 2025, by the Rotary Clubs of Southern Nevada with the Safety Officer Award Recognition award.
Founded in 2000 by the Rotary Clubs of Southern Nevada, the SOAR award was created to honor the “ordinary” professionals who consistently perform in an extraordinary way, the quiet heroes who protect and strengthen their communities every day. The program has grown from eight participating agencies to 18, recognizing more than 1,000 honorees over 25 years while championing Rotary’s Four-Way Test and the ideal of Service Above Self.
“Capt. Stephens represents the best of who we are and what we do,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Brett Foster, commander of the 22nd ATKS, who presented the award. “She’s an exceptional officer and aviator, lethal when it counts, humble always, and she makes everyone around her better. I trust her implicitly with any task.”
Since the start of the year, Stephens has flown numerous combat sorties, providing critical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance that directly supported the removal of high-value targets. She advanced rapidly through instructor and mission commander certifications, setting the pace for her peers and contributing to the overall growth of squadron qualifications and training progression.
Beyond the cockpit, Stephens served as Chief of Readiness and Unit Deployment Manager, carefully managing aircrew readiness and leading deployment preparation for multiple overseas taskings and large-scale exercises. She also overhauled the operations facility’s Shelter-in-Place plan and coordinated extensive reconstitution training, ensuring continuous MQ-9 mission capability and strengthening squadron resilience.
Stephens was handpicked by the squadron commander to serve as the squadron safety officer, a high-visibility role requiring advanced mishap investigation training.
“From day one, she was a ‘fire-and-forget’ leader,” said Capt. Corbett Light, 22nd ATKS Assistant Director of Operations. “You give her intent, and she runs with it, calm under pressure, tactically sharp, and relentlessly focused on taking care of people.”
Despite winning the SOAR award and being selected to be the squadron safety officer, Stephens was quick to acknowledge her teammates' contributions.
“I’m honored, and honestly humbled,” she said. “So many of my peers are doing exceptional work every day. Any recognition I’m receiving is a reflection of our whole team and the mentors who’ve invested in me.”
Foster echoed that sentiment. “What we do is a team sport,” he said. “There are standout performers, and Capt. Stephens is certainly one of them. She believes in the mission, she’s committed to it, and she lives ‘Service Before Self’ in and out of uniform.”
The 22nd ATKS, part of the 432nd Wing, conducts persistent attack and reconnaissance operations with the MQ-9 Reaper to defend the nation, support joint and coalition forces and safeguard the homeland.
| Date Taken: | 09.18.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.18.2025 17:48 |
| Story ID: | 548676 |
| Location: | CREECH AIR FORCE BASE, NEVADA, US |
| Web Views: | 217 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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