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Fairchild NCO receives Air Force award

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kali L. Gradishar
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Tech. Sgt. Eric Gazell does his job and he does it well. As a 92nd Contracting Squadron contracting specialist, he has proven his excellence in mission accomplishment, innovations, improvements and contribution.

Out of 104 Airmen in the same category, Sergeant Gazell came out on top as the 2006 Air Mobility Command Outstanding NCO in Contracting.

"I was shocked when I won the AMC award," said Sergeant Gazell. "It's a pretty big deal to me to have won."

One month later, the contracting guru was notified that he would take another step onto the podium. He was recognized as the Air Force Outstanding NCO in Contracting of 2006, rising above 443 other NCOs in the service.

"At that moment I was in disbelief," Sergeant Gazell reminisced. "There are so many people in the field and the competition was steep. This is a huge honor to receive this award."

Though, how could the Air Force look past the sergeant who deployed to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan as the NCOIC of the commodities section and played a huge role in purchasing essential items for the mission? Or the sergeant who was tasked to be on a source election team, deciding who was best for the Multinational Award Construction Contract?

In addition to his primary Air Force duties at his home station and deployed, Sergeant Gazell still maintains focus on the importance of education as he is only two courses from finishing his Master's Degree in Business Administration.

Presented by the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition Sue Payton and Charlie Williams, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Contracting, Sergeant Gazell received the award April 27 in the Pentagon Auditorium during his first visit to Washington D.C.

Following the award ceremony, he had the opportunity to tour the Pentagon and was coined by Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Chief Master Sgt. Robert McKinley, discussing Chief McKinley's career, Airman Battle Uniforms, the new Enlisted Performance Reports and Arlington National Cemetery.

He then took a walking tour of the capitol to view the Lincoln Memorial, the White House, the Smithsonian Museums, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, the Washington Monument and the Air Force Memorial.

"It was amazing how much I got to see. The memorials especially were really impressive and humbling," said Sergeant Gazell.

As the contracting specialist has discovered, it is rising to the challenges and striving for excellence that produces the rewards.