AFRL Cheers on 2020 Annual Award Winners

Jeanne Dailey, Air Force Research Laboratory Published Feb 28, 2020

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE — Presenting the awards at the celebration were Dr. Kelly Hammett, Director of the AFRL Directed Energy Directorate (AFRL/RD) and Mr. Barry Bunn, Deputy Director of the AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate (AFRL/RV).

”Thank you for coming out today as we honor our 2020 top achievers,” said Hammett. “Recognizing our people is one of the key things we do. I also want to thank the supervisors who made the effort to nominate their employees. These awards complement the long list of directorate achievements that I recently sent out to everyone.”

Bunn paid tribute to the Space Vehicles Directorate members on a successful year. “It’s a very exciting time for Space with the recent announcement of the Space Force,” he said. “This afternoon I look forward to recognizing the success of the directorate’s 2020 nominees and winners at this special event.”

At the end of the ceremony, there was a rousing response for the Team Spirit award given to the division who generated the loudest level of cheering. This year that honor went to Directed Energy’s Electro-Optics Division located at Kirtland AFB, and on the island of Maui, that joined the festivities by video teleconference.

From among many worthy nominees, the winners for the 2020 AFRL/RD and AFRL/RV Annual Awards are below.

Air Force Research Laboratory Directed Energy Directorate director, Kelly Hammett, presents Amber Anderson the Technology Transfer/Transition Achievement award at the lab’s ceremony recognizing the 2020 annual award winners. (U.S. Air Force photo courtesy of Air Force Research Laboratory)

Directed Energy Directorate

Airman of the Year: Senior Airman Sarah Thompson (RDS)
Noncommissioned Officer of the Year: Tech. Sgt. Christopher Lindsey (RDS)
Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year: Senior Master Sgt. Leif Gisselberg (RDS)
Individual Mobilization Augmentee Field Grade Officer of the Year: Maj. Jay Hensley (RDH)
Individual Mobilization Augmentee Company Grade Officer of the Year: Capt. Justin Fletcher (RDS)
Company Grade Officer of the Year: 1st Lt. Richard Peterson (RDS)
Field Grade Officer of the Year: Maj. Matthew Gridley (RDS)
Innovation: Capt. Ian McQuaid (RDS)
Mentorship: Dr. John Tam (RDL)
Technology Transfer and Transition Achievement Individual: Amber Anderson (RDH)
Technology Transfer and Transition Achievement Team: ICEPIC/GALAXY (RDH)
Publication of the Year Individual: Dr. Rao Gudimetla (RDS)
Publication of the Year Team: Machine Intelligence for Space Superiority (RDS)
Junior Mission Support Excellence: Joey Wells (RDL)
Senior Mission Support Excellence: Brian Young (RDM)
Senior Administrative Excellence: Teresa Garcia (RDL)
Administrative Excellence: Elena Martinez (RDS)
Mission Support Excellence Team: Space Electro-Optics Mission Support (RDS)
International Individual: Dr. Daniel Enderich (RDH)
International Team: Effects of High Energy Laser Project Agreement (RDL)
Supervisory: Dr. Andrew Greenwood (RDH)
Leadership: 2nd Lt. Laura Pineda (RDS)
Senior Leadership: Karen Merritt (RDM)
General Raymond A. Gilbert Junior Technical Achievement: Dr. Edwin Ahn (RDL)
Scientific and Technical Achievement: Dr. Bryan Anderson (RDL)
Scientific and Technical Achievement Team: Semiconductor Laser Team (RDL)
Scientific/Technical Technician Individual: John McCullough (RDH)
Scientific/Technical Technician Team: Tactical High Power Operational Responder (THOR) (RDH)
Scientific and Technical Management: 1st Lt. Hope Thomas (RDS)
Director’s Cup Junior Force: 1st Lt. Calvin Suratos (RDS)
“Sparks” Award: Dr. Angel Flores (RDL)
R. Earl Good Team: Tactical High Power Operational Responder (RDH)
Giller Award: Novel Fiber Structures Team (RDL)
Civilian of the Year Category I: Officer Jon De Costa (RDS)
Civilian of the Year Category II: Katherine Struthers (RDF)
Civilian of the Year Category III: Dr. Imelda Atencio (RDL)
Director’s Cup, Richard J. Neal Team: Satellite Custody and Characterization R&D (RDS)
Director’s Cup, Richard J. Neal Senior Individual: Dr. Steven Massey (RDS)
Director’s Cup, Junior Individual: Capt. Will Dickinson (RDS)

Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate deputy director, Barry Bunn, presents Capt. Mark Hinga the Individual Mobilization Company Grade Officer of the Year award at the lab’s ceremony recognizing its 2020 annual award winners. (U.S. Air Force photo courtesy of Air Force Research Laboratory)

Space Vehicles Directorate

Individual Mobilization Augmentee Field Grade Officer of the Year: Lt. Col. James M. Wolongevicz (RVE)
Individual Mobilization Augmentee Company Grade Officer of the Year: Capt. Mark Hinga (RVS)
Company Grade Officer of the Year: 1st Lt. Shalyndria Finley (RVB)
Field Grade Officer of the Year: Maj. Timothy Allen (RVE)
Innovation Award: Dr. Kenneth Obenberger (RVB)
Mentorship: 1st Lt. Patrick Chov (RVE)
Technology Transfer and Transition Achievement Individual: Capt. Nicholas Yielding (RVS)
Technology Transfer and Transition Achievement Team: Air Force Space Accelerator Program (RVS)
Publication of the Year Individual: Dr. Khanh Pham (RVB)
Publication of the Year Team: Proton Radiation Belt Variability (RVB)
Senior Mission Support Excellence: Esther Martinez (RVB)
Mission Support Excellence Team: Infrastructure Management Branch (RVO)
International Individual: Ronald Caton (RVB)
International Team: Micro-Satellite Military Utility (RVE)
Supervisory: Lt. Col. Ryan Drinkwater (RVS)
Leadership: Dr. Gretchen Phelps (RVB)
Senior Leadership: Paul Zetocha (RVS)
General Raymond A. Gilbert Junior Technical Achievement: Dr. Nicholas Shuman (RVB)
Scientific & Technical Achievement: Bianca Prumo (RVS)
Scientific & Technical Achievement Team: Future Advanced Satcom and Timing (RVB)
Scientific/Technical Technician Individual: Keith Brunner (RVE)
Scientific & Technical Management: Brenton Taft (RVS)
Director’s Cup Junior Force: Dr. Kyle Montgomery (RVS)
Dan Wilhelm Director’s Cup: Gabe Mounce (RVS)
Dr. Harold Gardiner Director’s Cup Team: Space Camp (RVS)
Wingman of the Year: Capt. Jarred Langhals (RVE)
Civilian of the Year Category II: Stacy Schramm (RVB)
Civilian of the Year Category III: Dr. Andrew Metcalf (RVB)
Director’s Cup, Richard J. Neal Team: Mycroft (RVE)
Director’s Cup, Richard J. Neal Senior Individual: Stephanie Eddy (RVB)
Director’s Cup, Richard J. Neal Junior Individual: Dr. Richard Zappulla (RVE)