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Scott AFB Airmen Recognized at USO 'Salute to Heroes'
(March 29, 2011) |
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| SAINT LOUIS, Mo. (March 28, 2011) - The USO of Missouri
hosted its seventh annual "Salute to Heroes" dinner March 24
in St. Louis where 14 service members were recognized. Among
the honorees are five Team Scott airmen.
"The annual
Salute to Heroes dinner is a way for us to honor members of
the Armed Forces in the local area who have distinguished
themselves as exceptional members of the military and their
communities," said Kathy O'Connor, executive director of the
USO of Missouri.
The process for selecting the
winners began last August when military units within the St.
Louis region were sent nomination forms. The winners were
selected by a representative of each branch of service and
the USO Awards Committee based upon three criteria --
leadership, military accomplishments, and service to others,
in five rank-based categories from junior enlisted to senior
officer. This year the USO of Missouri received over 20
nominations.
"It is a rigorous peer-based selection
process," said Jim Bruchas, current president of the USO of
Missouri's board of directors.
O'Connor said, "It is
always heartwarming to read the accomplishments of all these
young members of our armed forces. These are the wonderful
stories that the public never hears about. Going through the
selection process makes me so extremely proud of our Armed
Forces and honored to serve them and their families."
Team Scott honorees
Senior Master Sgt. Ryan
Nichols is the superintendent for the 932d Explosive
Ordnance Disposal Flight. During a recent deployment, he led
a high-risk mission where his team seized the largest cache
of improvised explosive device pressure plates in southern
Afghanistan and removed 20 IEDs from enemy hands, all while
engaging in a 36-hour firefight. He is a detective with the
Louisville Police Department, Louisville, Ky., and serves as
the team leader with the Louisville Metro Police Bomb Squad
in his civilian career.
Master Sgt. Richard Bullock,
with the 932d Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight recently
returned from a deployment to Iraq where he led 46 EOD
combat missions under threat of insurgent attack without
incident. His actions were instrumental in the destruction
of 22,100 ordnance items totaling 9,700 pounds net explosive
weight. Aside from his military duties, he sponsors youth at
the Missouri Department of Corrections Youth Facility and
participates in the Missouri Share the Harvest Program.
Senior Airman Dexter McElhiney is a member of the 932nd
Medical Squadron serving on its Critical Care Aeromedical
Transport Team. He inventoried and restocked CCAT medical
equipment and supplies, logging over $300,000 in unit
equipment packages, and established a system for immediate
transfer of the equipment. In addition to his military
duties, he is a volunteer fireman for the Fairview Heights
Fire Department. He is pursuing a medical degree from
Western Illinois University.
Tech. Sgt. Matthew Spatz
is the training and mobility non-commissioned officer in
charge for the 375th Logistics Readiness Squadron's Fuels
Management Flight. His duties include administering the
flight's Career Development Course program and upgrade
training and overseeing the flight's Government Purchase
Card program with more than $20,000 in purchase supplies
annually. His quick reaction in pulling an unconscious
airman from a locked garage to safety during a suicide
attempt saved the life of the Airman and earned him the
Single Event Air Force Achievement Medal.
Senior
Airman Leslie Ellis served with the 407th Air Expedition
Group, Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron and Tactical
Security Element during her deployment to Ali Air Base,
Iraq, from October 2009 to April 2010.
While
deployed, she performed 128 outside the wire missions
covering more than 6,000 kilometers and resulting in the
capture of the Office of Special Investigations' number one
most wanted individual. As a result of her efforts, she was
named Air Mobility Command's Outstanding Security Forces
Flight-Level Airman for 2010. She is an installation entry
controller with the 375th Security Forces Squadron.
"This event is focused on [the award] winners and our
customers [America's uniformed men and women], but it also
brings to light to the local community and our corporate
sponsors what wonderful work is being accomplished by our
military." said Jim Bruchas.
USO of Missouri's 7th
Annual Salute to Heroes Honorees
- Senior Master Sgt. Ryan Nichols -- 932nd Civil
Engineer Squadron
- Master Sgt. Richard Bullock -- 932nd Civil Engineer
Squadron
- Tech. Sgt. Matthew Spatz -- 375th Logistics
Readiness Squadron
- Senior Airman Leslie Ellis (Top Honoree) -- 375th
Security Forces Squadron
- Senior Airman Dexter McElhiney -- 932nd Medical
Squadron
- Sgt. 1st Class Jefferson Green -- Human Resource
Command, St. Louis
- Gunnery Sgt. Jeffrey Shilanski -- 3rd Battalion,
24th Marines, St. Louis
- Sgt. 1st Class Marcus Fields -- Delta Company, 554th
Engineer Battalion, Fort Leonard Wood
- Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck -- Company D, 795th
Military Police Battalion, Fort Leonard Wood
- Staff Sgt. Wilfred Aho -- Delta Company, 35th
Engineer Battalion, 1st Engineer Brigade, Fort Leonard
Wood
- Petty Officer 1st Class Sam Landherr -- U.S. Coast
Guard Sector Upper Mississippi River, St. Louis
- Petty Officer 2nd Class Justin Daugherty -- Navy
Operational Support Center, St. Louis
- Operational Specialist Seaman Ian Parnell -- Navy
Operational Support Center, St. Louis
- Petty Officer 2nd Class Donald Rush -- Base Support
Unit Detached, U.S. Coast Guard, St. Louis
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By Christi Spargur
Headquarters Air Mobility Command
Public Affairs
Copyright 2011 | |
Provided
through DVIDS
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