Arctic Warrior of the Week
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Brenda Calderon, a 673d Dental Squadron dental assistant, is recognized as the Arctic Warrior of the Week by U.S. Air Force Col. Kirsten Aguilar, left, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and 673d Air Base Wing commander, and U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Lee Mills, JBER and 673d ABW command chief, at JBER, Alaska, Aug. 16, 2021. Calderon worked in the Instrument Processing Center during the absence of the section noncommissioned officer, averting work stoppages and ensuring 4,500 instruments met all required critical sterilization requirements before distributing them for patient care. Recently, she became shift lead for the 673d Medical Group security detail for six months where she managed ten personnel and scheduled shifts for 24-hour operations, screening approximately 1,000 beneficiaries and protecting the health and wellness of 1,450 medics. Currently, Calderon supports the Air Force Dental Readiness Assurance Program, performing dental exams and cleanings on a daily basis. Despite COVID-19 operation restrictions, her team was able to execute 6,200 dental procedures. Finally, Calderon was hand-selected to attend the Air Force Arctic Survival School and later participated in the Arctic Eagle 2020 Exercise. The Arctic Warrior of the Week is an award highlighting JBER's top-performing Airmen.