Above and beyond: Logistics planner named Airman of the Year

Published March 4, 2013
By Senior Airman Andrew McLaughlin
434th ARW Public Affairs

GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Every year the 434th Air Refueling Wing recognizes Airmen who best represent excellence in both their military and civilian lives.

This year, Senior Airman Jesse Vanengelenhoven, 434th Logistics Readiness Squadron, was recognized as the best of the best as he was named the 434th ARW Airman of the Year for 2012 during a wing commander's call here Feb. 10.

Vanengelenhoven said he was very excited and surprised when he found out he won the award.

"I was just doing my job," he said. "It's an awesome step in my career, and I'm truly honored."

Just doing his job might be a bit of an understatement as the logistics plans technician, was recognized for going above and beyond both at Grissom and during a recent deployment to Southwest Asia.

During his time at Grissom last year, Vanengelenhoven served as a deployment manager for five C-17s which carried with them 152 Soldiers and detection dogs heading to the Middle East.

Not wanting to just manage deployments, he also volunteered to deploy himself as a logistics planner from May through November 2012. Vanengelenhoven started his deployment serving with the 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, ensuring passengers, cargo and flights got where they were needed and when they were needed.

During this time, Vanengelenhoven said he had the daunting task of creating schedules of events for flights, which included considerations for ground and air transportation, customs inspections and any other required or unexpected stops along the way.

In a war-time environment, very few things are easy or go exactly as planned, so the logistics planner said he worked hard to create contingency plans to ensure the mission could still be accomplished in the event of setbacks.

What Vanengelenhoven didn't plan on was his supervisor falling ill and being sent to Germany, which forced him to step up and perform at a higher level.

"I can do this," he said when he was asked if he was up for the task.

And, if that wasn't enough stress and pressure, the Airman, who joined the Air Force in December 2010, was forward deployed downrange to the 455th ELRS at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, to fill a more vital and much more demanding position that dealt with managing more people with more critical timelines.

Despite all of the challenges, Vanengelenhoven said he enjoyed finding ways to get people where they need to go in spite of any obstacles that may present themselves, but his greatest reward for his job was helping servicemembers return home.

"You get to see and meet many different people throughout the process," he explained. "And, it was really cool to see people's faces when they get to go home."

And though he was recognized for his work as a logistics planner, one is not named Airman of the Year for just doing amazing things related to their job. A person must also show they are a well-rounded individual that seeks to support others on and off duty, and Vanengelenhoven did just that.

Back home, he assisted fellow Airmen at Grissom by helping them improve their physical fitness test scores through mentoring and encouragement.

"I just try to help them and give an extra boost," he said.

He also gave a boost to himself as he pursued a college degree and to his community as he volunteered with a little league baseball team and his local church.

Regarding his accomplishments, Vanengelenhoven gave much of the credit to his supervisors, who he said provided him with excellent training, mentoring and support.

But one of those supervisors, Master Sgt. Zachary Gaumer, 434th LRS logistics plans technician, put the credit back on the Airman.

"Senior Airman Vanengelenhoven exhibits the character quality and work ethic that sets him apart," explained Gaumer. "He will be a great leader and mentor for fellow Airmen for years to come."

Located at Grissom, the 434th ARW is the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. Airmen and aircraft from the 434th ARW routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission and U.S. strategic objectives.

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Logistics planner named Airman of the Year

Above and beyond: Logistics planner named Airman of the Year

Public Affairs Staff