Grissom to host Annual Award Banquet

Each year time is set aside to honor Grissom Airmen who exemplify the Air Force's core values to the fullest extent through their actions and commitment to duty.

Grissom nominees, Airmen, friends and family will gather once again at the Elite Banquet Conference Center in Kokomo, Ind. April 1, as the 2016 annual awards winners will be announced.

“We encourage people to come out and support their fellow Airmen,” said Maj. Cassandra Nelson, 434^th Air Refueling Wing executive officer. “This year we are rolling out new trophies to be given to the annual award winners.”

The nominees for this year’s event include:

Field Grade officer:

Lt. Col. Scott Uselding, 434^th Force Support Squadron operations officer

Maj. Daniel Keeney, 72^nd Air Refueling Squadron nuclear war plans officer

Maj. Nicole Fink, 434^th Maintenance Squadron commander

Company grade officer:

Capt. Gregory Spencer, 434^th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aircraft maintenance unit officer in charge

Capt. Joel Nickelson, 74^th Air Refueling Squadron pilot

Capt. Johnathon McCashland, 434^th ARW deputy director of inspections

1^st Lt. Donald Yoakem, 434^th Civil Engineering Squadron civil engineering officer

Senior non-commissioned officer:

Senior Master Sgt. James Billing, 434^th MXS production superintendent

Senior Master Sgt. Matthew Eichenfels, 434^th Force Support Squadron superintendent

Senior Master Sgt. Steven Kulik, 434^th Aerospace Medicine Squadron superintendent

Master Sgt. Scott Allen, 434^th Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment flight chief

Non-commissioned officer:

Tech. Sgt. Kevin Gregory, 434^th Maintenance Squadron fuel systems specialist

Staff Sgt. Deborah Ryan, 72^nd ARS in-flight refueling technician

Staff Sgt. Wyatt Shannon, 434^th CES explosive ordinance disposal equipment NCOIC

Airman:

Senior Airman Aron Miller, 434^th Logistics Readiness Squadron traffic management apprentice

Senior Airman Jaclyn Hyman, 434^th AMXS crew chief

Senior Airman Jessica Thompson, 434^th Operations Group command support staff

Civilian non-supervisor:

Byron Kelley, 72^nd ARS office automation clerk

Jill Marconi-Pyclik, Airmen and Family Readiness Center director

Civilian supervisor:

Martin Foye, 434^th ARW financial services officer

Kevin Ware, 434^th OSS air traffic controller

Tammy Schlarf, 434^th FSS human resources officer

This year’s guest speaker will be Brig. Gen. John Hickok, director of logistics at Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command.

Tickets go on sale during the March unit training assembly in Bldg. 596 room 217. The cost to attend the event for E1-E4 $20, E5-E6 $30, E7 plus $35 and civilian guests $35.

Cocktails will begin at 5:30 p.m and dinner will start at 6 p.m.

Uniform of the day will be mess dress for officers, semi-formal or mess dress for enlisted. Civilians are asked to dress in evening gown for women and tuxedo for men.

Volunteers are also needed to help set up for the event and collect tickets. To volunteer contact Staff Sgt. Kara Curtis at 688-4344 or Senior Airman Mathew Kaim at 688-3933.

The 434th ARW is the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. Men and women from the Hoosier Wing routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission.

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