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Public Affairs reservist wins Air Force honor

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Marnee A.C. Losurdo
  • 512th AW Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  A 512th Airlift Wing NCO earned Air Force distinction Tuesday when the 2006 Public Affairs Achievement Awards were released.

Tech. Sgt. Veronica A. Aceveda, who has worked in the 512th PA office for five years, earned the honor of Outstanding PA NCO in the Air Force competition.

Brig. Gen. Michelle Johnson, director of Air Force Public Affairs, made the announcement on behalf of Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley.

"My heartiest congratulations to all of this year's nominees and recipients," she said. "I salute (you) for serving our Air Force with great distinction. These awards recognize your high standards of excellence and the hard work you do every day."

Sergeant Aceveda's duties range from being the editor of the wing's Liberty Press magazine and conducting wing commander's calls to hosting tours and responding to media queries.

A four-month deployment to Southwest Asia was her most memorable experience in 2006, said the eight-year active-duty veteran and former broadcaster and information manager who joined the Reserve in 2002

While deployed she served as the NCO in charge of the PA shop there, working with fellow reservist Maj. Ann Peru Knabe of the 440th Airlift Wing, General Mitchell Air Reserve Station, Wis., who mentored her on direct marketing.

"Prior to deploying, I never realized how the appeal of one story could be marketed to so many different military and civilian venues, all the while highlighting the Air Force mission," said Sergeant Aceveda. "I've had more of my stories and pictures posted around the world than I ever imagined possible."

Other deployment highlights included escorting Lee Greenwood during the "World Patriotic Tour" and assisting with high profile visits from President George H W. Bush and retired Army Gen. Tommy Franks.

Major Knabe said the Delaware reservist re-engineered the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing's Hometown News Release Program, increasing participation by 400 percent. She even forward deployed to Baghdad to implement the 447th Air Expeditionary Group's electronic HTNR system.

"Tech. Sgt. Aceveda epitomizes the battlefield Airman," said the major. "She's resourceful, innovative and motivated. She leveraged existing PA tools, spearheaded new programs and subsequently shared the Air Force story with hundreds of thousands of people. Her energy and dynamic approach to public affairs are contagious."

At home base, that charismatic approach to PA was used to assist with coordinating and executing the 512th AW's first Band Strike Package in October. The Air Force Reserve Command Band had 12 performances in three days in nine communities reaching 57,000 people.

"PA can be a high-stress, high-reward career field," she said. "The phrase 'work best under pressure' definitely applies to this job. While planning and preparation are key to PA activities, it's the 'show-time' that I love. Getting to showcase the unit and the military are my favorite aspects of this job.

"As a reservist, I'm extra proud to win this active-duty level award, because in the Reserve our motto is 'One Air Force, Same Fight, an Unrivaled Wingman,'" she said. "That encompasses exactly how I feel receiving this level of recognition."