TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The 507th Air Refueling Wing First Sergeant Council—comprised of first sergeants from the 507 ARW, 137th Special Operations Wing, 513th Air Control Group, and 35th Combat Communications Squadron—has been named the best wing first sergeant council in 4th Air Force for 2024.
The council will now compete for the Air Force Reserve Command-level award against winning councils from 10th and 22nd Air Forces.
Master Sgt. Lindsay Newton, the 2024 council president, credited team initiatives for the council’s recognition.
“This past year, we had the opportunity to go to Anchorage, Alaska, for our training and development off-site,” said Newton. “While we were there, we volunteered at the Food Bank of Alaska, and we ended up packing over 13,000 pounds of food that went towards senior citizens.”
Chief Master Sgt. Darren Wiseman, 507th ARW command chief, reflected on how the first sergeant role has evolved during his career.
“When I was a young Airman… the first sergeant was not someone to go see,” Wiseman said. “They were about correction, discipline, and standards. But that’s evolved over the years to be the connective tissue to the Airmen, to be the ears to the Airmen.”
Newton emphasized teamwork and leadership as the backbone of their success.
“When you're a Reserve unit, you have to juggle so much between service, your civilian commitment, and your family commitments, and so we really try to make sure that we put our Airmen at the top of our list,” Newton said. “Everyone on the council is really motivated to try to help our Airmen and do the best that we can for our them.”
A standout moment for Newton was the council’s annual 5K during Suicide Prevention Month.
“We just tried to focus our efforts on raising more of that awareness, and building that mental and physical pillar of resiliency,” said Newton.
Wiseman reflected on the legacy that this award will leave.
“We received a trophy from Fourth Air Force that recently came in the mail, and it was a wrestling championship belt,” Wiseman said. “And my hope is that when someone picks up that belt years from now… they'll be reminded that they too are called to be servant leaders.”
The First Sergeant Council's dedication to their Airmen embodies the spirit of servant leadership and sets a high standard for excellence within the 507th Air Refueling Wing.