'Best of the best' nominated for AFSPC Outstanding Airmen of the Year Published April 14, 2009 Air Force Space Command Public Affairs PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Twenty-eight members of Air Force Space Command's finest have been selected to compete to represent AFSPC for the prestigious Air Force 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year competition, but only five will actually earn that honor. AFSPC Outstanding Airmen of 2008 nominees are: AIRMAN Airman 1st Class Katie King 576th Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif. Senior Airman Brittanie Pierce Manpower, Personnel and Services Directorate, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo. Senior Airman Chanice Reid 10th Missile Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont. Senior Airman Joseph Soldano 460th Operations Support Squadron, Buckley AFB, Colo. Staff Sgt. Johanna Aviles West Coast Communications Support Element, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. Staff Sgt. Ryan Brown 61st Mission Support Group, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. NCO Staff Sgt. Marcial Villegas Secure Message Center, National Reconnaissance Office, Va. Tech. Sgt. Ricky Barnett 61st Civil Engineer and Logistics Squadron, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. Tech. Sgt. John Chacon 30th Space Wing, Vandenberg AFB, Calif. Tech. Sgt. Nikki Drago 791st Missile Security Forces Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D. Tech. Sgt. Chester Maddox 595th Space Group, Vandenberg AFB, Calif. Tech. Sgt. Michael Watson Office of the Command Surgeon, HQ AFSPC, Peterson AFB, Colo. SNCO Master Sgt. Steven Fallin Space Test and Operations Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M. Master Sgt. Michael Federer 576th Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif. Master Sgt. Robert Jones Communications Directorate, National Reconnaissance Office, Schriever AFB, Colo. Master Sgt. Troy Pettit 30th Security Forces Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif. Master Sgt. Jeffrey Rosinski 90th Security Support Squadron, F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo. Senior Master Sgt. Jeffery Steagall Office of the Inspector General, HQ AFSPC, Peterson AFB, Colo. First Sergeant Master Sgt. Shelley Haskett 90th Missile Maintenance Squadron, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. Master Sgt. Joseph Powell 45th Civil Engineer Squadron, Patrick AFB, Fla. Senior Master Sgt. Michael Primo Space Innovation and Development Center, Schriever AFB, Colo. Senior Master Sgt. Richard Schlosser Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. CGO 1st Lt. Lauren Neely 30th Space Wing, Vandenberg AFB, Calif. Capt. Michael Johnson Spaced-Based Infrared Systems (SBIRS) Wing, Sunnyvale, Calif. Capt. Luis Palacios 595th Operations Support Squadron, Schriever AFB, Colo. Capt. Kristin Panzenhagen Aerospace Data Facility-East, National Reconnaissance Office, Va. Capt. Jeremy Sheppard Headquarters 20th Air Force, F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo. Capt. Craig Thorstenson Plans and Requirements Directorate, HQ AFSPC, Peterson AFB, Colo. The nominees and their guests will be touring local bases and attractions to include Peterson, U. S. Air Force Academy, Fort Carson and Colorado Springs popular tourist attractions. The four-day recognition event, scheduled April 21 - 24, will culminate with a formal banquet highlighting the nominees' achievements and announcing the command's top five selections to move on and compete in Air Force 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year competition. For more information regarding the OAY banquet, contact Master Sgt. Amber Mitchell at 719-576-5568. Editor's note: Established by the Air Force, the OAY program recognizes 12 outstanding, active-duty enlisted professionals in a range of grades representing a cross section of career fields for superior leadership, job performance, community involvement and personal achievements. The Air Force Association honors the 12 Outstanding Airmen at its annual convention in Washington, D.C., according to the AFA Web site. The program was initiated at the AFA's 10th annual national conference, held in New Orleans in 1956 - The Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, a general officer and selected major command-level command chiefs form the selection board. The Air Force Chief of Staff reviews the selections. The 12 Outstanding Airmen are awarded the Outstanding Airman ribbon with the bronze service star device and wear the Outstanding Airman badge for one year. They also serve on the Air Force Enlisted Council for one year. Guidelines for submissions are outlined in Air Force Instruction 36-2805, Special Trophies and Awards.