Senior NCO inducted into AMC's Order of the Bayonet

Master Sgt. Jason Parker stands at attention during the reading of the citation and the presentation of the award of the Order of the Bayonet for Sergeant Jason Parker in the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's Grace Peterson Hall Nov. 28, 2008, on Fort Dix, N.J. Sergeant Parker, now stationed at the 92nd Security Forces Squadron at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., was nominated for the award while serving as a member of the Expeditionary Center's 421st Combat Training Squadron. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Staff Sgt. Paul R. Evans)

Senior NCO inducted into AMC's Order of the Bayonet

Security forces Airmen from the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center stand in a formation of more than 20 during the Order of the Bayonet induction ceremony Nov. 24, 2008, for Master Sgt. Jason Parker in the USAF EC's Grace Peterson Hall on Fort Dix, N.J. Sergeant Parker, now stationed at the 92nd Security Forces Squadron at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., was nominated for the award while serving as a member of the Expeditionary Center's 421st Combat Training Squadron. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Staff Sgt. Paul R. Evans)

Senior NCO inducted into AMC's Order of the Bayonet

Lt. Col. Steve Sugiyama and Master Sgt. Jason Parker stand at attention during the reading of the citation and the presentation of the award of the Order of the Bayonet for Sergeant Jason Parker in the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's Grace Peterson Hall on Fort Dix, N.J. Sergeant Parker, now stationed at the 92nd Security Forces Squadron at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., was nominated for the award while serving as a member of the Expeditionary Center's 421st Combat Training Squadron. Colonel Sugiyama is the deputy commandant of the USAF EC's Expeditionary Operations School. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Bevier)

Senior NCO inducted into AMC's Order of the Bayonet

Security forces Airmen from the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center stand in a formation of more than 20 during the Order of the Bayonet induction ceremony Nov. 24, 2008 for Master Sgt. Jason Parker in the USAF EC's Grace Peterson Hall on Fort Dix, N.J. Sergeant Parker, now stationed at the 92nd Security Forces Squadron at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., was nominated for the award while serving as a member of the Expeditionary Center's 421st Combat Training Squadron. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Bevier)

Senior NCO inducted into AMC's Order of the Bayonet

Published Nov. 25, 2008
By Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center Public Affairs

FORT DIX, N.J. -- With more than 20 security forces Airmen before him donning their "battle rattle" and M-4 rifles with bayonets, Master Sgt. Jason Parker was given a prestigious honor very few in his career field have received.

Sergeant Parker, currently assigned to the 92nd Security Forces Squadron at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., was inducted into the Defender class of the Air Mobility Command Order of the Bayonet Nov. 24 during a special ceremony in the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's Grace Peterson Hall.

The Order of the Bayonet was established in 1981 to recognize the accomplishments of those who have made significant contributions to the security and ground defense of air bases, regardless of their position or rank. This is the highest honor AMC security forces men and women can bestow upon a person.

"This is like the Heisman trophy for cops in the Air Force," said Col. Robert Dutterer of the AMC Security Forces Directorate at Scott AFB, Ill. "This is as huge as it gets. And, in this case, what makes it more important is here he is -- a senior master sergeant select -- getting it. The last four ceremonies I attended (for this award) were for colonels and chiefs."

Sergeant Parker's ascension to induction into the Order began with a nomination from his former leadership in the EC's Expeditionary Operations School. Sergeant Parker served in the school's 421st Combat Training Squadron until 2007 when he left for a one year deployment to Iraq.

After he was nominated, Colonel Dutterer said Sergeant Parker's submission package was reviewed by the AMC Chief's Council and formally approved by AMC's top security forces officer, Col. Lyle Cary. "The contributions that he's made, the training he's done for men and women deploying down range, the deployments he's done -- all rolled up -- shows he's the best of the best."

In the citation for his nomination, it states Sergeant Parker "is a leader among leaders" while assigned to the 421st CTS. During his tenure, Sergeant Parker created the Phoenix Warrior and Advanced Contingency Skills Training pre-deployment training courses that are in use today training thousands of Airmen for deployments.

With an "Air Force-wide reputation for excellence," the citation says Sergeant Parker was specially chosen as team leader for a Department of Defense initiative to prepare 60 international media personnel to embed with combat units during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He also led 23 Level II Antiterrorism Mobile Training Teams in support of six major commands training more than 800 antiterrorism officers and 42 agents from the National Security Agency.

In accepting the award and induction into the Order, Sergeant Parker said the award and induction to the Order is a representation of "great Airmen."

"Throughout my career, I've been blessed with quite a few opportunities," Sergeant Parker said. "I've been blessed to work with and for a lot of great supervisors and leaders. I've also had a lot of opportunity to work with a lot of great Airmen. This award, although it is being given to me and I'm being inducted into the Order, it really is an award for all of them. They really did all the work. They brought me up and raised me to be the senior NCO that I am today."