CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- A
Charleston noncommissioned officer was recently named one of the Air Force’s
12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2004.
Senior Master Sgt. Michael David, superintendent of
the 437th Communications Squadron Mission Systems Flight, was notified of
his accomplished in the form of a four-star phone call. The “outstanding
Airman” received the call July 2 from Gen. John W. Handy, commander of
U.S. Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command.
“It’s not every day the general calls you at
your house; it’s not something you expect,” said Sergeant David. “I
was shocked when he told me I was chosen (as one of the Air Force's
Outstanding Airmen of the Year).”
Sergeant David, who was the only AMC Airman selected
as a finalist for the Air Force-level competition, will be formally
recognized for his selection during the Air and Space Conference and
Technology Exposition in September, and will serve as a member of the Air
Force Association’s Enlisted Advisory Council from September 2004
through the following year.
In Sergeant David's award nomination, 437th CS
Commander Lt. Col. John Keffer said Sergeant David was the
"thrust" behind the success of a $9 million base infrastructure
installation at Charleston, which included 54 miles of fiber optic cable
and 1,500 pair of copper. The colonel said the installation integrated 131
buildings, cutting base-wide outages from 60 to 20 per year and creating a
system uptime of 99.8 percent.
Colonel Keffer said Sergeant David also led the
deployment of a mobile microwave landing system to Southwest Asia.
According to colonel, the airfield control equipment was 100 percent
operational upon initial installation in an austere location, and was
vital to the success of cargo and troop support for Operation Iraqi
Freedom.
“He’s very dedicated to his work and he takes
care of his people,” added Master Sgt. Cecil Wilson, chief of
maintenance support and a coworker of Sergeant David’s.
Nominees are also judged on their off-duty
performance, and area in which Sergeant David also excels.
The sergeant organized a “Day of Caring” event
Sept. 11, leading 18 volunteers to aid the Dorchester Board of
Disabilities and Special Needs. The project ensured 500 people with
special needs received unique care and enabled in-home care giving. He is
also the senior noncommissioned officer Honor Guard team leader and a
soccer coach for a local youth team.
“The great thing is he didn’t try to make this
happen, he was just being Sergeant David. Just because of who he is, he
got it,” said Capt. Christopher Shields, who has been Sergeant David’s
supervisor for nearly a year.
“As an Airman, a friend and a human being, he’s
tops,” added the captain. “He truly deserves this award.”