Dr. Michael Gregg, director of the Aerospace Systems Directorate, then took the stage to welcome the crowd and thank attendees for a year of hard work and achievement.
“I think you should take a lot of pride in what you’re doing. The things you’re doing right now are really setting the tone and the character of the Air Force from a technology perspective for the next two decades.”
Guest speaker Capt. Joshua Caudill of the 112th Air National Guard Fighter Squadron spoke to the gathering about his experiences as a fighter pilot and the journey that took him from working in the field of financial management to pursuing his lifelong dream of flying for the military. He extolled the virtues of the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System, a technology developed within the Aerospace Systems Directorate and subsequently integrated onto U.S. Air Force Block 40/50 F-16 aircraft.
Caudill, who has flown extensively with the system, helped capture data that allowed directorate researchers to further refine and improve the technology.
“What you all do reduces the risk that I take every day,” Caudill said.
Retaking the stage, Gregg presented Caudill with a coin on behalf of the directorate. Maldonado then joined him to begin the presentation of awards.
The recipients of the 8th annual Aerospace Systems Directorate awards are:
Administrative Excellence Award – Reinnah Gilson
Scientific/Technical Technician Award (Individual) – Rodney Gough
Scientific/Technical Technician Award (Team) – The Trisonic Gasdynamics Facility 5000 Horse Power Motor Repair Team: Kevin L. King, Paul J. Olekas and Nathan S. Brown
Mission Support Award (Individual) – Eva Lawson
Mission Support Award (Team) – The Edwards Munition Team: Andrew Williams, Tech. Sgt. Anthony Cook and Staff Sgt. Tyler Ellis
Technology Transfer and Transition Award (Team) – F-35 Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System Team: Amy Burns and Kevin Price
Mentoring Award – Katherine Sheets
Leadership Award – Marquise Goodeaux
Senior Leadership Award – Dr. Marcus Young
Supervisory Award – Carlos Arana
Noncommissioned Officer of the Year Award – Tech. Sgt. Anthony Cook
Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year Award – Master Sgt. David Rash
Company Grade Officer of the Year Award – Capt. Christopher Hare
Individual Mobilization Augmentee Field Grade Officer of the Year – Maj. Matthew Dillsaver
Field Grade Officer of the Year – Maj. Brian Kroeger
Innovation Award – Dr. Kamran Ghiassi
Scientific and Technical Management Award – Dr. Mathew Kirsch
Scientific and Technical Achievement Award (Individual) – William Boles
Scientific and Technical Achievement Award (Team) – Green Propellant Infusion Mission Team: Anthony Zuttarelli, Dr. Ghanshyam Vaghjiani, Dr. Marcus Young, Michael Tinnirello, Adam Brand, Dr. Jerry Boatz, Dr. Jeffrey Mills and Brett Wight
International Award (Individual) – Jason Mossman
International Award (Team) – Engineered Surfaces, Materials, and Coatings Team: Gary Dale and 1st Lt. Dylan Hope
Civilian of the Year Category I – April Valdez
Civilian of the Year Category II – Crystal McGaha
Civilian of the Year Category III – Dr. Samuel Bailie
Director’s Trophy Classified (Junior Force Individual) – Brock Pleiman
Director’s Trophy Classified (Senior Individual) – Mark H. Amos
Director’s Trophy Classified (Team) – Flying and Handling Quality Team: Stephanie Simon; Kenneth Sewell, III; Isaac Weintraub; and Deryck Beard
Director’s Trophy (Junior Force Individual) – Kerianne Hobbs
Director’s Trophy (Senior Individual) – Dr. Daniel Brown
Director’s Trophy (Team) – XQ-58A Valkyrie Flight Test Team: Douglas Szczublewski, Lauren Zientarski and David L. Hart
Dr. Richard B. Rivir Scientific and Technical Achievement Award – Jared Neely
E. C. Simpson Award – Large Scramjet Test Team: Todd Barhorst, 1st Lt. Samuel Nyamekye, Paul Kennedy, Dr. Jeffrey Donbar and Dr. Kristen M. Rice
Dr. Courtland D. Perkins Award – High Temperature Case Technologies Team: Geoffrey Trapp and Dr. Gregory Yandek
Don Ross Award – Dr. George Harting
S. D. Heron Award – Dr. Roger Kimmel
Gen. Benjamin D. Foulois Award – Dr. Laura Humphrey
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