AETC operations readiness civilian of the year

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Rachelle Elsea
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Mr. Marty Spikes, 325th Civil Engineer Squadron chief of readiness and emergency management, was recently recognized as the 2011 Air Education and Training Command Operations Readiness Civilian of the Year.

Mr. Spikes was born and raised in Panama City, Fla., near Tyndall Air Force Base. Seeing the planes flying overhead at a young age, he knew he wanted to join the Air Force.

He enlisted in 1988 and served for eight years. While in, he worked in heating and air conditioning and then cross-trained to readiness and emergency management.

He has been in his current position for the last 18 years and said he thoroughly enjoys it.

"The people here at Tyndall make it very easy for me," said Mr. Spikes. "I wake up every day and can't wait to get to work. In this line of work, every day brings something new."

With emergencies often times, coming with little to no warning, his mission is very serious.

"Our primary mission is to save lives; minimize the loss or degradation of resources; continue, sustain, and restore operational capability in an all-hazards physical threat environment at Tyndall Air Force Base; and manage the CES Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force program," said Mr. Spikes. "Our ancillary mission is to support homeland defense and civil support operations and to provide support to civil authorities in accordance with Department of Defense directives and through United States Northern Command."

But, the Airmen say he is a pleasure to work for.

"It is a pleasure to work for and with Mr. Spikes because he has that no non-sense approach of getting the customer, whether external or internal, the best possible service," said Master Sgt. Mozelle Gibson, 325th CES superintendant of readiness and emergency management. "He also has a steady demeanor, no matter the situation, that we as a flight will succeed."


Mr. Spikes was humbled to receive this award.


"I am honored that I was chosen out of so many other qualified applicants," said Mr. Spikes. "To me this is a culmination of all the hard work that not only the Readiness and Emergency Management Flight put in, but the 325th Civil Engineer Squadron, the 325th Mission Support Group and the 325th Fighter Wing. I want to thank everyone because if it was not for them, none of this would be possible."