349th Wing Annual Awards Ball showcases best of the best

  • Published
  • By Ellen Hatfield
  • 349th Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The culmination of a year of hard work and dedication was the 349th Air Mobility Wing's Annual Awards Ball Feb. 8, 2014. Group quarterly award winners, their family, friends and fellow Airmen came together in celebration of goals exceeded, and accomplishments recognized.

The honorees walked under the traditional canopy of crossed swords held aloft by the wing's first sergeants. Guest speaker for the evening was retired Chief Master Sgt. Bryan K. Rainey, whose last assignment was as Commandant, U.S. Air Force First Sergeant Academy. Among his duties there was development and validation of curriculum for active, Guard and Reserve students. Then came the announcement of the winners and awards presentation.

The 2013 annual award winners for the 349th AMW are: in the Airman category, Senior Amn. Elizabeth Watson, 349th Mission Support Group; Noncommissioned officer category, Tech. Sgt. Richard Kroll, 349th Maintenance Group; Senior NCO category, Senior Master Sgt. Loren Nickell, 349th MSG; Company Grade Officer category, Capt. Lyndsey Ballinger, 349th MXG; First Sergeant, Master category, Sgt. Doris Phillips, 349th MXG; Honor Guardsman category, Staff Sgt. Tania McGuire, 349th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron; Recruiter category, TSgt. William Pullion, 349th AMW, and Civilian category, Mrs. Stacey Galbraith, 349th MSG.

Four of these winners have been selected to go forward in competition to the Fourth Air Force level: Ballinger, Nickell, Kroll and Watson. If selected there, advancement is to the command level, and then Air Force level, in competition for the Twelve Outstanding Airmen of the Year.