When U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ezekiel Burke, 435th Air Ground Operations Wing Safety occupational safety manager, arrived here, he told U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. William Parisse, 435th AGOW Safety superintendent, “We are not going to be the people that just sit behind the desk, we’re going to be proactive, not reactive.”
Less than two years later, the 435th AGOW Safety Office was named the 2025 Department of the Air Force Chief of Safety Outstanding Achievement Award Category IV—an award recognizing the most effective safety program.
“This award is a big achievement because of all the hurdles and special projects that we tackle,” said Parisse, who’s been in the safety career field for eight years.
“The mission is cool, you don’t see this anywhere else,” added Burke, who’s been in the career field for six years.
Due to the wing’s unique mission, this safety office looks like no other office in the Air Force.
The safety duo explained in most units safety offices are divided between occupational, aviation, and explosives, but in the 435th AGOW the two are required to become experts in all aspects of the job.
“The biggest highlight was changing the stigma of safety being seen as an ‘office of no’ to an office that finds solutions to enable success for our personnel,” said Burke. “Truly embedding ourselves within each unit’s operations will naturally elevate safety culture to help prevent mishaps.”
Adding to the wing’s complexity is the fact that it is composed of around 1,400 people with more than 70 specialties that are geographically separated across Europe.
"Working at the AGOW is more than humbling, it's about doing our best to take care of our personnel before they go downrange, ensuring our unwavering commitment to excellence and safety,” said Parisse. “Earning the Chief of Safety Award is a true testament to the power of teamwork and our dedication to the Wing's mission. We are proud to serve our team members and honored to be recognized for making a difference."
In the new year, the 435 AGOW Safety Office plans to work with civil engineering to expedite hazard abatement of aging infrastructure by prioritizing overdue work orders and tracking quarterly closure rates; expand targeted safety education campaigns on leading mishap areas, partnering with units for specialty outreach; and improve data-driven mishap prevention by using quarterly trend analysis to focus on resources and brief actionable lessons to commanders.