AF officials honor 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year

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WASHINGTON (AFPN) --  Air Force officials here recognized the service's 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year at an awards dinner Sept. 15 during the Air Force Association's 24th Annual Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition here.

The 2008 award recipients were drawn from 33 people representing major commands, direct reporting units, field operating agencies and Air Staff agencies.

The nominees are authorized to wear the Outstanding Airman of the Year Ribbon, while the 12 winners will wear the bronze service star device on the ribbon. The winners will also wear the Outstanding Airman of the Year Badge for one year from the date of formal presentation.

Tech. Sgt. Jason Hughes of Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. He led his fellow maintainers in organizing the bed down for the Raptor at Elmendorf AFB. He designed a hot pit operation for the F-22 there, raising sortie generation capability 33 percent. He created a new procedure, eliminating six technical data errors and saved 150 man-hours. Under his supervision, his Airmen attained a 97 percent quality assurance pass rate, ensuring Air Force leaders could rely on the 3rd Wing's F-22s. 

The following are the other 11 Outstanding Airmen of the Year:

-- Senior Master Sgt. Donna Goodno from San Diego Air National Guard Station.
-- Master Sgt. Carla Curry of Randolph Air Force Base, Texas.
-- Master Sgt. George Price Jr. of Patrick AFB, Fla.
-- Tech. Sgt. James Caughron of McConnell AFB, Kan.
-- Tech. Sgt. Earl Covel Jr. from Fort Lewis, Wash.
-- Tech. Sgt. Tammy Shaw of Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
-- Staff Sgt. Eric Eberhard of Hill AFB.
-- Staff Sgt. James Weltin of Patrick AFB.
-- Senior Airman Mary Bullock of Hurlburt Field, Fla.
-- Senior Airman Alicia Goetschel from Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England.
-- Senior Airman Shawn Ryan (now staff sergeant) of Sheppard AFB, Texas.