A selection board considered 36 nominees representing each of the Air Force’s major commands, direct reporting units, and field operating agencies, along with Headquarters Air Force, selecting the 12 winning Outstanding Airmen of the Year based on “superior leadership, job performance, and personal achievements,” according to a news release.
Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass first revealed the winners’ names July 12 on Twitter. The winners include:
- Air Force Special Operations Command: Tech. Sgt. Brandon S. Blake, detachment superintendent and registered respiratory care practitioner, 720th Operations Support Squadron, Birmingham, Ala.
- U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa: Senior Airman Demarion N. Davis, emissions security manager, 48th Communications Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, England.
- Air Force Global Strike Command: Senior Airman Monica Figueroa Santos, nuclear command and control operations senior controller, 341st Missile Wing, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.
- Air Force District of Washington: Master Sgt. Kade N. Forrester, infrastructure flight section chief, 11th Contracting Squadron, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, D.C.
- Air Combat Command: Senior Master Sgt. Megan A. Harper, operations superintendent, 379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.
- Air Force Reserve Command: Tech. Sgt. Brianne E. Kelleher, command language program manager, 655th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
- Air Education and Training Command: Tech. Sgt. Alexander W. Messinger, standardization evaluation noncommissioned officer in charge, 802nd Security Forces Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.
- Air Mobility Command: Senior Airman Steven C. Peters, emergency medical technician, 60th Healthcare Operations Squadron, Travis Air Force Base, Calif.
- Air National Guard: Senior Airman Kristina L. Schneider, fire protection journeyman, 179th Airlift Wing, Mansfield Lahm Air National Guard Base, Ohio.
- Pacific Air Forces: Senior Airman Caden A. Soper, F-15 avionics journeyman, 18th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan.
- Airman Supporting U.S. Space Force: Senior Airman Christopher T. Thao, network operations technician, 50th Communications Squadron, Schriever Space Force Base, Colo.
- Air Force Materiel Command: Tech. Sgt. Jennifer G. Thomas, Air Force vehicle fleet manager, 441st Vehicle Support Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
The Outstanding Airmen of the Year program debuted at AFA’s 10th annual National Convention in 1956, and the association has continued to shine a spotlight on the outstanding Airmen from each major command every year since.
The Air Force Association will recognize this year’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year during its Air, Space & Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Md., in September.