433rd Airlift Wing recognizes annual award winners Published Feb. 12, 2014 By SMSgt Minnie Jones 433 Airlift Wing Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas -- The 433rd Airlift Wing's third Annual Awards Banquet was a night for members of the "Alamo Wing" to come together to honor the best-of-the-best. Close to 300 Airmen, honorary commanders and guests attended the banquet at the Gateway Club here Feb.8. The event was hosted by the 433rd Airlift Wing First Sergeants Council. Prior to the awards banquet, the Medallion Ceremony kicked off the event with a medal presentation given to all quarterly award winners for the year. Col. Aaron Vangelisti, 433rd Airlift Wing, commander, along with the 433rd AW Command Chief, Chief Master Sgt. Emil Garza handed presented the medals. "What a terrific evening and a fitting way for us to honor these fine Airmen and recognize the families and loved ones that support them, said Vangelisti." The 433rd Airlift Wing 2014 Annual Award Winners finalists were: Military Winners: Company Grade Officer of the Year: Capt. Kimberly Bryant, 433rd Maintenance Squadron; First Sergeant of the Year, Master Sgt. Eric Smith; 433rd Security Forces Squadron; Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, Senior Master Sgt. Marc Gibson, 733rd Training Squadron; Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, Tech. Sgt. James Grove, Jr.; 733rd Training Squadron and Airman of the Year, Senior Airman Lionel Mills, II, 433rd Security Forces Squadron. Civilian Winners: Category I, Darren Pierce, 433rd Aerospace Medicine Squadron; Category II, Jason Peck, 433rd Airlift Wing, Craig Arnold, 433rd Airlift Wing. Award winners were selected based on their highest combined scores in the areas of leadership, job performance, self-improvement and contributions to community service. Physical fitness scores, educational accomplishments and decorations were taken into consideration, as well. The banquet's key note speaker of the night was Jennifer Smith, staff chaplain for United Methodist Hospitals. Smith, spoke about the four pillars of resiliency, emphasizing the importance of using the four pillars of resiliency in our professional and personal lives. The high point of the evening was a special recognition and presentation of the 4th Air Force 2014, Aircrew Excellence Award to Capt. Adriana Valadez and Staff Sgt. Amanda Pena, 433rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. Col. Adam Willis, 433rd Operations Group presented the award on behalf of Brig. Gen. John C. Flournoy, Jr., 4th Air Force commander. "Tonight, we honor two of the 433rd AES members who went above and beyond the call of duty, while assigned to the 651st Expeditionary AES in Kandahar, Afghanistan, said Willis." The final award of the night went to the 68th Airlift Squadron, who competed in the "Spirit Award" for best squadron video. The Spirit Award is given to the squadron who best portrays what their contribution is to the wing being combat ready. "Saturday was an extraordinary wing event, which will be talked about for years to come," said Chief Master Sgt. Emil Garza, 433rd AW Command Chief. "In addition to making a page in the Wing's outstanding history, we demonstrated to all in attendance, as well as the rest of the wing that we recognized our Airmen and their families for their selfless sacrifices and their continued commitment to the Air Force and this great nation. Saturday night's event was the 3rd annual awards banquet - I can't wait to attend number four."