SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Air Force officials recently
announced the service’s top 12 Airmen for 2005, and one of Air
Mobility Command’s own made the list.
Staff Sgt. Terrence A.
Raybon, 60th Medical Diagnostics and Therapeutics Squadron, Travis AFB,
Calif., was one of the 12 chosen during an Air Force selection board
that considered 45 nominees representing major commands, direct
reporting units, field operating agencies and air staff agencies.
The board convened at
the Air Force Personnel Center at Randolph AFB, Texas, in May and
selected the Airmen based upon superior leadership, job performance and
personal achievements. The Airmen were nominated through base-level and
eventually command-level recognition programs like Airman of the quarter
and Airman of the year boards.
“It goes without
saying how proud we are of Sergeant Raybon and his selection as one of
the Air Force’s 12 best,” said Chief Master Sgt. Michael Kerver, AMC
command chief master sergeant. “He is an extremely humble,
professional, and personable individual, and certainly reflects the very
best of Air Mobility Command’s enlisted corps! Terrence has an
extremely bright future ahead of him, and we’re honored that he’ll
be representing this great command.”
According to the
command chief, Sergeant Raybon is representing more than AMC. He’s
also representing his military heritage.
“Sergeant Raybon’s
dad is a retired Army sergeant major, and from the moment Terrence met
the selection board, to the night of his selection as our AMC Airman of
the Year, this courteous and respectful young man was everything you
might imagine growing up as part of a military family,” he said. “I
know his parents must be as proud as we are, and I personally want to
thank them for raising such a fine human being, and for loaning him to
the United States Air Force!”
“We were thrilled to
hear the news, and wish him our very best for continued success,” said
Chief Kerver.
Sergeant Raybon is
equally thrilled about his selection.
“My initial thought
was, ‘wow, I can’t believe I made it this far,’” he said. “I
am truly honored.”
Rising to the level of
12 Outstanding Airman of the Year isn’t a small task, and it takes
accomplishing a lot to reach it. For Sergeant Raybon, it was all about
just doing what he was supposed to.
“When I look back at
the accomplishments I’ve made, I feel I was just doing my job,” he
said. “I enjoy my job very much and take pride in what I do. If
there’s anything that sets me above my peers, I would have to say that
when ever I had an opportunity to get involved in a project, I did.
“If there was no one
to lead, I took the initiative and led,” said Sergeant Raybon.
The junior
noncommissioned officer said the 12 OAY was never a goal he set out to
obtain; rather, it just happened along the way.
“If you take away all
the awards and plaques I’ve earned, behind them are the many tasks I
was involved in, tasked I enjoyed doing,” he said. “I didn’t do
them for the recognition.”
While looking back at
his career to this point, the NCO in charge of the David Grant Medical
Laboratory Shipping Department, said he couldn’t have accomplished what he
has without the help of those around him.
“First and foremost I
have to attribute the recognition to God. But, I wouldn’t be here
without the support of my wife and children, and my supervisor and
senior leaders,” he said. “Support from supervisors and senior
leaders is crucial.”
The following
individuals join Sergeant Raybon as the 2005 winners:
Staff Sgt. Sean D.
Belding, Robins AFB, Ga., Air Force Material Command,
Senior Master Sgt.
James E. Davis, Langley AFB, Va., Air Combat Command,
Tech. Sgt. Micahel E.
Harris, Kadena Air Base, Japan, Pacific Air Force,
Master Sgt. Douglas C.
Isaacks, Keflavik Naval Air Station, Iceland, U.S. Air Forces Europe,
Master Sgt. Robert N.
Liles, Lackland AFB, Texas, Air Education and Training Command,
Senior Airman John A.
Lockheed, Klamath Falls, Ore., Air National Guard,
Staff Sgt. Amber B.
Mitchell, Patrick AFB, Fla., Air Force Space Command,
Senior Master Sgt.
Anthony J. Rittwager, McGuire AFB, N.J., Air Force Reserve Command,
Tech. Sgt. Paul J.
Schaaf II, Moody AFB, Ga., ACC,
Staff Sgt. Scott V.
Tamayo, Hickham AFB, Hawaii, PACAF, and
Senior Airman Amber J.
Turek,
Hurlburt Field
,
Fla.
, Air Force Special Operations Command.
Each winner is
authorized to wear the Outstanding Airman of the Year Ribbon with the
Bronze Service Star device for one year. During the year, Sergeant
Raybon, a Hattiesburg, Miss., native, and his fellow outstanding Airmen
will serve as role models and traveling ambassadors to Airmen around the
world. Some of their
responsibilities will include speaking at leadership school graduations
and attending recognition-type events.
During his tenure as an
ambassador, the four-and-a-half-year Air Force veteran said he hopes to
represent the Air Force to the best of his ability.
“I hope to take the
same mentality and work ethic I have now and make some sort of
difference. I hope to be a strong voice for Airmen everywhere,” he
said.
The 12 Outstanding
Airmen of the Year will be honored during the Air Force Association
national convention in Washington, D.C., in September.
They will also serve as members of the AFA’s enlisted advisory
council for the next year.