JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- Pacific Air Forces Airmen were honored as PACAF's 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year at the Tradewinds Enlisted Club here, April 5.
Gen. Ken Wilsbach, PACAF Commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Dave Wolfe, PACAF Command Chief, invited numbered air force commanders, wing commanders, command chiefs and spouses to congratulate PACAF’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year.
“We celebrate the achievements of the representatives of our best Airmen, civilians and company-grade officers that we have throughout the command,” Wolfe said. “When you make the cut at your squadron, your group, your wing and all the way up through your Numbered Air Force and Major Command, the competition gets tougher and tougher at every level. When I look around at events like this, it strikes me that this is the lens that I get to look at America through, and I find that to be a huge blessing in my life.”
For Wilsbach, the opportunity to recognize the command’s best Airmen is always a highlight.
“These Airmen represent not just themselves and their families, they are the faces of our command. They strived to embody being the best of who and what we are as Airmen, and exemplified excellence in their units and communities,” said the general. “Each of these Airmen have the opportunity to continue to influence the Air Force we need now and in the future with the example they set.”
The Airmen will now compete at the Air Force level for the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year. The annual competition recognizes the best Airmen who exemplify excellence in their job, off-duty education, and volunteerism within their communities.
The 2021 Pacific Air Forces Outstanding Airmen of the Year are:
- Amn: Senior Airman Caden Soper, 18th Maintenance Squadron F-15 avionics journeyman, Kadena Air Base, Japan
- NCO: Tech. Sgt. Jessica Cunningham, Airman Leadership School Director of Operations, 18th Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan
- Honor Guard Program Manager: Tech. Sgt. Rian W. Hudson, 673rd Force Support Squadron Honor Guard Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
- SNCO: Master Sgt. Brittany Hambrick, 8th Communications Squadron Plans and Resources flight chief, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea
- First Sergeant: Master Sgt. Drew Sturgeon, 374th Security Forces Squadron First Sergeant, Yokota Air Base, Japan
- CGO: Capt. Megan V. Griffin, 525th Aircraft Maintenance Unit officer in charge, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
- Civ Cat I: Brittany M. Holden, 355th Force Support Squadron Unit Program Coordinator, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska
- Civ Cat II: Vincent R. Bowers, 354 Operations Support Squadron Controller in Charge, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska
- Civ Cat III: Joshua B. Grubb, 374th Contracting Squadron Specialized Contracting flight chief, Yokota Air Base, Japan