AFRL celebrates 2022 achievements at annual awards ceremony
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFRL) — The Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, recognized its top performers of 2022 at the AFRL Annual Awards Ceremony March 2, 2023, at the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Kenney Hall at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The ceremony recognized the accomplishments of AFRL personnel during the previous year in numerous categories including those for enlisted Airmen, Guardians and officers as well as civilians and teams.
“No matter where you are in AFRL, this is a great opportunity to come together and talk about what we do each and every day,” said Maj. Gen. Heather Pringle, AFRL commander. “Every day you make this lab stronger and better. You are accelerating science and technology and serving as one lab for not one service, but two services.”
Pringle recognized the work “behind the scenes” as well, in particular, the supervisors responsible for putting the nomination packages together and those who reviewed the packages.
Maj. Gen. Heather Pringle, Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, commander gives opening remarks at the 2022 AFRL Annual Awards Ceremony at the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Kenney Hall at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, March 2, 2023. The ceremony recognized the accomplishments of AFRL personnel over the previous year. (U.S. Air Force photo / Keith Lewis)
“None of it gets done in a vacuum. You cannot make these great achievements on your own without leaning on your wingmen or your Guardian partners,” Pringle said. “I know you have heard me say this before, but each and every one of you are unicorns.”
Awards statutes at the 2022 Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, Annual Awards Ceremony at the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Kenney Hall at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, March 2, 2023. The ceremony recognized the accomplishments of AFRL personnel over the previous year. (U.S. Air Force photo / Keith Lewis)
Recognition also went to the organizers of the awards ceremony that included a procession by the Wright-Patterson Honor Guard and a performance of the National Anthem by the Air Force Band of Flight Spirit of Freedom brass ensemble.
“I’m known as the general who brags about her team a little too much, and today is no different,” Pringle said.
The Wright-Patterson Honor Guard performs at the 2022 AFRL Annual Awards Ceremony at the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Kenney Hall at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, March 2, 2023. The ceremony recognized the accomplishments of AFRL personnel over the previous year. (U.S. Air Force photo / Keith Lewis)
The winners of the 2022 AFRL Annual Awards are:
Airman of the Year
Staff Sgt. Jesse C. Reed (711th Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio)
Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
Tech. Sgt. Matthew J. Erfman II (Directed Energy Directorate, Maui, Hawaii)
Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
Senior Master Sgt. James S. Cook, III (711th Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio)
First Sergeant of the Year
Senior Master Sgt. Timothy M. Sigafoos (711th Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio)
Company Grade Officer of the Year
1st Lt. Oleksiy Redko (Information Directorate, Rome, N.Y.)
Company Grade Officer Individual Mobilization Augmentee of the Year
Capt. Cameron S. Davis (Aerospace Systems Directorate, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.)
Field Grade Officer of the Year
Lt. Col. Matthew N. Fuqua (Aerospace Systems Directorate, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio)
Field Grade Officer Individual Mobilization Augmentee of the Year
Lt. Col. Jeremy J. Franke (Directed Energy Directorate, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.)
Civilian Category I (Individual)
Morgan E. Trapani (Aerospace Systems Directorate, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.)
Civilian Category II (Individual)
Samuel D. Schemmer (Munitions Directorate, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.)
Civilian Category III (Individual)
Kirk E. Herzog (Munitions Directorate, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.)
Administrative Excellence (Individual)
Trisha A. Perry (711th Human Performance Wing, Fort Sam Houston, Texas)
Senior Administrative Excellence (Individual)
Hannah E. Morgan (Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Arlington, Va.)
Supervisory (Individual)
Erich Reinhart (Aerospace Systems Directorate, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.)
Leadership (Individual)
Dr. Candice N. Hatcher-Solis (711th Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio)
Senior Leadership (Individual)
Adam K. Spurling (Commander’s Action Group, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio)
Mission Support (Individual)
Leah M. Haugen (Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Arlington, Va.)
Mission Support (Team)
Information Directorate Perimeter Security Military Construction Implementation Team (Information Directorate, Rome, N.Y.): Gabriel D. Sbarglia (team lead), Paul E. Baranoski, Michael B. Dinardo, Peter M. Fitzgerald, Edward J. Gittings, Vincent J. Guza, Kenneth M. Johnson, Ted J. Kephart Jr., Shad A. Lopez, Kristen R. Merrill, Thomas L. Moses, Jennifer A. Moyer, Cornell Parrish Jr., Scott P. Podkowka, Edward V. Smith and Franciso D. Tallarino
International Award (Individual)
Dr. Wilkin W. Tang (Directed Energy Directorate, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.)
International Award (Team)
International Bioeffects Team (711th Human Performance Wing, Fort Sam Houston, Texas): Dr. Robert J. Thomas (team lead), Darvis S. Cosper, Roel F. Escobar, Maj. Lyndsey M. Ferris, Capt. Eulalie T. Grodner, Lt. Col. Wesley T. Kinerk, Dr. Semih S. Kumru, Dr. Leon McLin, Chad A. Oian, Maj Adam C. Poulin, Maj Emily A. Purcell, Dr. Benjamin A. Rockwell, Kurt J. Schuster, William B. Voorhees and Dr. Jeffrey N. Whitmore
S&T Technician (Individual)
Staff Sgt. Aubrianne Dash (711th Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio)
S&T Technician (Team)
Intelligence Team (Information Directorate, Rome N.Y.): Tech. Sgt. Bryan M. Burns (team lead), Tech. Sgt. Andrew C. Gushlaw, Tech. Sgt. Nathan Metzger, Tech. Sgt. James E. Minter, Tech. Sgt. Luke D. Ogburn, Tech. Sgt. Sean M. Rohde, Senior Airman Matthew J. Stapleton, Tech. Sgt. Walker A. Szucs and Tech. Sgt. Benjamin E. Wise
S&T Management (Individual)
Dr. Madeleine L. Naudeau (Space Vehicles Directorate, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.)
S&T Achievement (Individual)
Dr. Mala Mateen (Directed Energy Directorate, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.)
S&T Achievement (Team)
Pacific Ecosystem for Cyber Team (Directed Energy Directorate, Maui, Hawaii): Lt. Col. Phillip F. Wagenbach (team lead), Lt. Col. Scott J. Pierce, Capt. Alexandra A. Mihaylova, Capt. Samuel D. Chadwick, Kevin L. Schoen, Dr. John D. Farina, Dr. Robert Trevino and Dillon T. Romine (Directed Energy Directorate, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.)
Jack Blackhurst Innovation Award
Dr. Zachary A. Steelman (711th Human Performance Wing, Fort Sam Houston, Texas)
Diversity Award
AFWERX Contracting (Dayton, Ohio) and Aerospace Systems Directorate (Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio)
Commander’s Cup (Junior Individual)
Dr. Angela M. Campo (Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio)
Commander’s Cup (Senior Individual)
Mark E. Daniel (Integrated Capabilities Directorate, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio)
Commander’s Cup (Team)
Wide Bandgap Semi-Conductor Team (Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio): Dr. Shin Mou (team lead), Dr. Adam T. Neal, Dr. Thaddeus J. Asel, Dr. Michael E. McConney, John D. Blevins, Dr. Kelson D. Chabak, Dr. Kevin D. Leedy, Dr. Andrew J. Green, Dr. Kyle J. Liddy and Dr. Ahmad E. Islam
Commander’s Cup (Richard Neal Special Recognition) (Junior Individual)
Capt. Robert W. Mellish (Information Directorate, Rome N.Y.)
Commander’s Cup (Richard Neal Special Recognition) (Senior Individual)
Christina L. Osmon (Directed Energy Directorate, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.) and Dr. Brian Beal (Integrated Capabilities Directorate, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio)
Commander’s Cup (Richard Neal Special Recognition) (Team)
STO-5 Ops Team (Systems Technology Office, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio): Dr. Zachary Hall (team lead), Connor Staudt, Richard Zappulla II (Space Vehicles Directorate), Alex Sizemore (Space Vehicles Directorate), Hannah Mayer, Kevin McGrail, Kurt Hall, Thomas Eddy, Anthony Scaglione, Joshua Turich, Richard Swigert, Joshua Adkin, Garret Nicol, Brian Berthold, Marcus Kraushaar, Maj Jacob Downey and Tiffany Cole
Maj. Gen. Heather Pringle, Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, commander and Abby Neal, Richard Neal’s daughter, present the Commander’s Cup Richard Neal Special Recognition Awards at the 2022 AFRL Annual Awards Ceremony at the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Kenney Hall at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, March 2, 2023. The Richard Neal Special Recognition Awards recognize employees unable to compete in other award categories due to the sensitive nature of their work. (U.S. Air Force photo / Keith Lewis)
About AFRL
The Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 11,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. For more information, visit: www.afresearchlab.com.