Alamo Wing Annual Awards Banquet celebrates 2018 accomplishments Published Feb. 11, 2019 By Staff Sgt. Lauren M. Snyder 433rd Airlift Wing JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND -- A culture of cultivating and rewarding Reserve Citizen Airmen of the 433rd Airlift Wing was exhibited during the 2019 Annual Awards Banquet at the Gateway Club here Feb. 9. Three hundred and sixty wing members, family and friends attended the seventh annual event while top performers of the Alamo Wing’s 2,500 members were recognized. The wing’s commitment to excellence led to many military and civilian accolades for both units and individuals in 2018: Headquarters Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year as well as their Senior Noncommissioned Officer Award, Air Force Reserve Command Senior Noncommissioned Officer, AFRC First Sergeant Outstanding Airmen of the Year Award, Fire Officer of the Year Award, Alamo Area Air Force Association Awards, and the Outstanding Security Forces Tenant Unit of the Year Award. Additionally, the wing flew more than 2,500 hours, completed 62 missions, 747 sorties, graduated 248 C-5M Super Galaxy trained aircrew, and moved 1,700 passengers and 1,900 tons of cargo for both AFRC and Air Mobility Command. “I have a lot to thank you, our Airmen, for this past year,” said Col. Thomas K. Smith, 433rd AW commander. “Our personnel performed unique missions & actions, such as aiding a successful worldwide effort to rescue 12 youth soccer players and their coach in a flooded cave in Thailand by rapidly transporting 30 Special Forces members and three large cargo containers full of rescue gear. We also coordinated and delivered more than 1,000 pounds of food and water of hurricane relief donations to South Texas after Hurricane Harvey. Additionally, our wing honor guard completed 594 Funeral Honor Details and presented the colors for 98 ceremonies and retirements throughout 69 different counties in Texas.” Retired Chief Master Sgt. John Shroyer, the guest speaker, focused on relevance, retention, and history. Chief Master Sgt. Shana Cullum, 433rd AW command chief, repeated the idea of relevance by praising the awards system in the Alamo Wing. “I was very excited to see the awards process in place when I joined the wing,” she said. “The quarterly and annual packages are relevant because it’s the culture of this wing to reward members, which motivates them and they do a better job.” The 433rd Airlift Wing annual award winners for 2018 are: Airman of the Year: Senior Amn. Kryssianna Paula, 68th Airlift Squadron Noncommissioned Officer of the Year: Tech. Sgt. Anthony Martin, 433rd Force Support Squadron Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year: Senior Master Sgt. Jonathan Sellers, 26th Aerial Port Squadron First Sergeant of the Year: Senior Master Sgt. Arturo Loya, 74th Aerial Port Squadron Company Grade Officer of the Year: Capt. Chad Marbut, 433rd Civil Engineering Squadron Civilian Category I of the Year: Veronica Dieguez, 433rd FSS Civilian Category II of the Year: Stephanie Sanchez, 433rd AW Safety Office Civilian Category III of the Year: Martha Paller, 433rd AW Financial Services Office Honor Guard Member of the Year: Tech. Sgt. Stephanie Escobedo, 433rd Aerospace Medicine Squadron The Alamo Wing Company Grade Officer Council coordinated the awards banquet. The AWCGOC became officially recognized as a private organization in 2018 and is scheduled to organize the 2020 annual awards banquet for the wing.