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Outstanding airmen and employees honored

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Chelsea E. FitzPatrick
  • 127th Wing Public Affairs
SELFRIDGE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Mich --  

SELFRIDGE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Mich.— Command staff and approximately 1,400 members of the 127th Wing convened to announce this year’s Outstanding Airmen of the Year on Dec. 2, 2023.

     “The Outstanding Airmen of the Year ceremony is our opportunity to recognize our top performers, and the [127th] Wing’s accomplishments this past year,” said Brig. Gen. Matthew Brancato, commander of the 127th Wing and Selfridge Air National Guard Base. “I feel honored to celebrate the extraordinary efforts of the 127th Wing.”

     The individual winners representing the Wing’s top performing Airmen selected from a pool of approximately 30 individuals in 11 categories. Final award recipient decisions were based on superior leadership, job performance and overall achievement.

     Winners were selected in the following categories:

1. Airman of the Year- Airman 1st Class Cole Alli, 127th Operations Group
2. Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year – Tech. Sgt. Erica Spaulding, 127th Maintenance Group
3. Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year – Master Sgt. Trina Ramos, 127th Medical Group    
4. First Sergeant of the Year – Master Sgt. Heather Bell, 127th Mission Support Group
5. Company Grade Officer of the Year – 1st Lt. Caleb Jenkins, 127th Air Refueling Group
6. Honor Guard Member of the Year – Airman 1st Class Ethan Leary
7. Recruiter of the Year – Tech. Sgt. Justin Nabarrette
8. Civilian employee of the Year- Catherine Finocchiaro, 127th Wing Headquarters
9. Civilian manager of the year- Andrew Schumann, 127th Wing Headquarters
10. State employee of the year- Joe McIntyre, 127th Mission Support Group
11. The Commander’s Trophy was awarded to the 107th Mission Generating Force Element Team.

During the ceremony, Brig. Gen. Rolf Mammen, Michigan Air National Guard commander, presented Capt. Charles DiCiuccio, 127th Maintenance Group, with the 2022 Company Grade Officer of the Year award. 

     The winners of the airman, non-commission officers and company grade officer categories will go on to compete against Michigan Air National Guard Airmen at the state level awards, where winners will be selected and announced next summer. State-level winners will go on to compete in the nationwide Outstanding Airmen of the Year competition.