Colorado State Banquet, July 19
One hundred and thirty-five enthusiastic military and civilian guests attended the Colorado Air Force Association State Awards Banquet on July 18. The setting was the beautiful Doolittle Hall at the Air Force Academy. The featured speaker of the night was Mr. Alvin Drew, the NASA liaison to Headquarters, Air Force Space Command. He is a career Air Force officer and a two-time space shuttle astronaut who logged more than 612 hours in space on STS-118 and STS-133. He amazed the crowd with his footage from docking with the International Space Station and space walks. All four Colorado Chapters honored the best of the best Air Space and Cyber Force Airmen and Civilians and the exceptional contributors to the success of AFA in Colorado. Colorado attendees were honored to be joined by Kari Hahn, National VP of Member and Field Relations, who assisted State President Steve Gourley, Rocky Mountain Region President Gayle White and Sijan Chapter President Dave Shiller in the presentation of awards. A complete list of the winners follows below. Special thanks goes to our corporate and individual sponsors who donated so that AFA may host the honorees: Lockheed Martin, ASRC, ATK, Raytheon, Gayle and Sharon White, Chris and Andrea Ayres, Dave and Margy Shiller, and Chuck and Ursula Zimkas. Kudos to the Association of Graduates, Heidi Jacobson and her Falcon Staff for the superb dining and service at this special event.
Honorees and Award Winners at the event were:
National Awards
–AFA Gold Life Member Card: Maj Gen (Retired) George Douglas (one of only 20 previous recipients). Maj Gen Douglas will be recognized at the AFA National Convention in September.
–Exceptional Service Award: Jeri Andrews (Sijan), Richard Follmar (Mel Harmon)
Medal of Merit: Howard “Cork” Hayden (Mel Harmon), Dave Shiller (Sijan), Sharon White (Sijan)
Colorado State Awards
–Colorado Member of the Year: Richard Follmar (Mel Harmon)
–Superior Excellence Award: Jeri Andrews, Hank Scarangella, Roy Griggs, Joe Kahoe, Tom Ocvirk, Dave Shiller (Sijan)
–Presidential Citation: Linda Aldrich, Bob Cooper (Sijan), Rick Peterson (Huyser), R. J. Schulz (Mel Harmon)
–Exceptional Service: Barbara Binn, Ewa Folden, Bill Houth, Joe Westerland (Sijan), Robert Canvellieri, Csogi (Mel Harmon), Chris Hassett (Mile High)
–Medal of Merit: Margaret Eichman, James Gilchrist, Howard “Cork” Hayden, Steve Janssen, Shawn Kirscht, Edna Simmons, Paul Sipes, Dick Wood (Mel Harmon), Emilie Boschert (Mile High)
–Citation: George Andreatta, Cindy Ealy, Henry Eichman, Oscar Gwartney, Sandy Perkins, Ruth Steele, Eugene Vaerewyck, Kendra Zerfas (Mel Harmon), Mary Orn (Huyser), Jay Harroff Judy Rogers, Mike Ruotsala (Mile High)
–Teacher of the Year: Katie Hobbs, Talbott Elementary in Colorado Springs
— Special Recognition Teacher of the Year: Rick Peterson (Huyser)
Military
–Airman of the Year: Amn Matthew Davis, 19th Space Operations Sq
–Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year: SSgt Shawn MacDonald, 302 Force Support Sq
–Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year: SMSgt Vicki Robertson, 302 Force
Support Sq
–Company Grade Officer of the Year: Capt Joe Pickenpaugh, 21st Space Wing
–Civilian of the Year, Category I: Kiesha Mills, 21st Med Gp
–Civilian of the Year, Category II: Reggie Selby, 21st Space Wing