Twenty-nine awarded CCAF degrees

  • Published
  • By Capt Penny Carroll
  • 127th Public Affairs
SELFRIDGE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Mich. --  Twenty-nine Community College of the Air Force graduates received their diplomas here today with family members and friends, peers and supervisors watching to honor their achievements.

The Community College of the Air Force degree is an associate degree of applied science available to enlisted airmen in their specific Air Force job specialty. The degree is  earned from a combination of technical training, professional military education, and civilian sources. Two members earned degrees for more than one career field.

Michigan Air National Guard's Command Chief Master Sergeant David Eddy provided the keynote address to the graduates reminding Airmen that, "the CCAF degree is a credential establishing our credibility to do our jobs and do them well."  He also encouraged the graduates to "give it the gas!  Keep going, keep achieving, and keep striving."

The Community College of the Air Force concept evolved in the early 1970s as a way to recognize Air Force training achievements. The need became apparent to enhance the skills of noncommissioned officers as technicians, leaders and citizens. In November 1971, General John D. Ryan, Air Force Chief of Staff, approved the establishment of the CCAF. It then went before the Secretary of the Air Force, who on January 25, 1972, approved the activation plan and the college was established on April 1, 1972 at Randolph AFB, Texas.

This year's 127th Wing graduates are:

Financial Management
SMSgt Russell Childs 
MSgt Heather Manor
SSgt Merushjola Adkins

Aviation Maintenance Technology
SMSgt Thomas Selon
MSgt David Bowers
MSgt Pedro Torres
TSgt Michael Ginzel

Avionic Systems Technology
TSgt Ashanti Curtis

Human Resource Management
CMSgt Gary Fantauzzo
MSgt Annette Holt
TSgt Jennifer Lopez

Aircraft Armament Systems Technology
TSgt Michael Finn

Criminal Justice
MSgt Martin Genter
MSgt Daniel Klik
TSgt Jamie Kincade
TSgt Janice Stockett
SSgt Grant Kumfer
SSgt Garrett Fisher 
SRA Richard Malik

Communications Applications Technology
SSgt Natasha Gieraltowski

Munitions Systems Technology
TSgt Louis Jones Muni
SSgt Vanessa Rudolph 
SSgt Jessica Homann 

Aircraft Structural Maintenance Technology
TSgt Louis Jones Muni

Logistics
SMSgt Jeanne Robinson
SSgt Ernest Martinez

Aviation Maintenance Technology
SSgt Ernest Martinez

Education and Training
MSgt Jutta Parks

Information Management
TSgt Rosario Recchia
SSgt Melissa Siegler I

Aerospace Ground Equipment Technology
SSgt Adam Vermeersch