Two Airmen, civilian are education center’s 2018 outstanding

  • Published
  • By Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith
  • I.G. Brown Training and Education Center

The Commander of the I.G. Brown Training and Education Center announced on January 23 the organization's top NCO, senior NCO, and civilian assigned to the campus on McGhee Air National Guard Base in East Tennessee during 2018.

 

"Our team is made up of an awesome group of talented people,” Col. Kerry R. Lovely said in an email. “Three, in particular, stood out ...” 

 

The TEC recognizes its top performers each year from its full-time staff of more than 80 personnel assigned from the regular Air Force, the Air Force Reserve, and the Air Guard. The awardees are then considered for recognition at the higher commands.

 

“Please help me congratulate our 2018 Outstanding Airmen," Colonel Lovely said. The awardees are:

 

Civilian of the Year, Category III: Lawrence McCoy is an instructional systems specialist for the Professional Continuing Education Division.

 

Noncommissioned Officer of the Year: Tech. Sgt. Megan Burnett is an enlisted professional military education instructor for the Chief Master Sergeant Paul H. Lankford EPME Center.

 

Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year: Master Sgt. Sara Eldred is assigned as additional-duty-for-operational-support for the Air Guard’s Drug Demand Reduction Program, through the Professional Continuing Education Division.

 

For Mr. McCoy, supervisors said that he instructed and coordinated the bullet writing course to 12 Air Guard units and more than 1,100 service members. He dedicated 140 hours to develop a Blackboard, on-demand learning version of the course, which saved more than $27,000 in travel expenses. 

 

McCoy also completed an online course that focused on human performance improvement to gain valuable insight into student vision for the organization.

 

For Sergeant Burnett, supervisors noted how she stood out among her peers, through the instruction of eight NCO academy flights, which mentored 96 students and awarded 480 Community College of the Air Force credit hours. She was hand-selected as assistant NCOA instructor for the U.S. Pacific Air Forces - Alaska, where she graduated 76 students and helped reduce a backlog of 2,500 technical sergeants awaiting PME. 

 

Sergeant Burnett earned two CCAF certificates as well as led 272 hours of volunteerism for 51 students, who raised more than $6,000 for Down syndrome awareness.

 

For Sergeant Eldred, supervisors highlighted her direction and coordination of the DDRP education and marketing campaign, which circulated nationwide. She continued to train with her New York National Guard unit, to include 128 flying hours for the 139th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron.

 

In her personal time, Sergeant Eldred volunteered in animal rescue transport, which ensured four dogs were placed into foster care and/or permanent homes.

 

Annual awardees receive recognition at the commander's all-staff meeting as well as an award plaque and other accolades.

 

(Supervisors’ award packages contributed to this report)