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Maintenance Professionals of the Year recognized during ceremony

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Veronica McMahon
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The 325th Maintenance Group's Maintenance Professional of the Year banquet, recognizing the achievements of the group for the past year and honoring maintenance professionals, was held April 4 at the Community Activity Center Annex. 

Maj. Gen. Robert McMahon, Air Force maintenance director, gave a speech to the crowd of more than 460 people highlighting how well F-15 and F-22 maintainers handled the various maintenance challenges over the past year. 

"We are able to achieve what we can today, not because of weapons, but because we have you - the finest group of aircraft maintainers in the world," said General McMahon. 

Each winner was called up to the stage in recognition of their achievements and was awarded a trophy. 

"It is really an honor to be associated with these folks," said Lt. Col. Eric North, 325th Maintenance Group commander. "The honorees are very special; however, it takes a total-team effort to produce an award winner."


Congratulations to the following individual and group winners:

Air Education and Training Command Maintenance Effectiveness Award
Medium Unit - 325th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
Small Unit - 325th Maintenance Operations Squadron

325th Foreign Object Debris Prevention Award
Propulsion Flight, Test Cell

Lance P. Sijan Award
NCO - Staff Sgt. Jason Dunn
SNCO - Senior Master Sgt. Jerald Brooks
CGO - Capt. Darin Findling
FGO - Maj. Aaron Rigdon

Gen. Lew Allen Award
SNCO - Senior Master Sgt. Donald Morris
CGO - Capt. Micheal Carawan

Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Award
Aircraft Maintenance Category 
Airman - Senior Airman Thomas Engel, AETC winner
NCO - Staff Sgt. Chris Dippold
SNCO - Senior Master Sgt. Terry Gabbert
CGO - Capt. Laura Griggs
FGO - Maj. Aaron Rigdon
Civilian Cat II - Mr. Robert Taylor, AETC winner
Civilian Cat I - Mr. Glenn Krajniak, AETC winner

Munitions/Missile Maintenance Category
Airman - Senior Airman Nicholas Siroka
NCO - Tech. Sgt. Frank Hitchcock
SNCO - Master Sgt. Jeff Burke
FGO - Lt. Col. Eric D. North AETC winner
Civilian Cat II - Mr. Don Linn, AETC winner

CMSAF Thomas N. Barnes Crew Chief of the Year Award
Staff Sgt. John McClean, AETC winner

Maintenance Professional of the Year
Airman - Senior Airman Soon Tri
NCO - Tech. Sgt. Frank Hitchcock III
SNCO - Senior Master Sgt.Thomas L. Jacks

Staff Professional of the Year
Airman - Senior Airman Richard Galero
NCO - Tech. Sgt. Kenyatta Addar
SNCO - Master Sgt. Leighton Sinclair

Supply Person of the Year
Airman - Senior Airman Sylvia Akin
NCO - Technical Sgt. Tory Lynch
SNCO - Master Sgt. Leighton Sinclair

Instructor of the Year
Senior Instructor - Master Sgt. Jon Ryals
Junior Instructor - Staff Sgt. Todd Cessna

Training Manager of the Year
Senior Cat 4 - Master Sgt. Terry Watkins
Junior Cat 4 - Staff Sgt. Katrina McLendon
Junior Cat 2 - Staff Sgt. Roger Vula

Personnel Manager of the Year
NCO - Staff Sgt. Autumn Austin
CGO - Capt. Cuba Gonzalaz

Information Manager of theYear
Airman - Airman 1st Class Diego Henao
NCO - Tech. Sgt. Denise Wilder

Load Crew of the Year
From the 95th Aircraft Maintenance Unit
Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Taggart
Senior Airman Drew Carpenter
Senior Airman Daniel Dubisky

Aircraft Maintenance Unit of the Year
43rd Aircraft Maintenance Unit