HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- The best in intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), space and command, control, communications and intelligence (C3I) career fields were honored at the Brent Scowcroft Awards banquet March 27.
The Northern Utah Chapter 235 of the Air Force Association (AFA) hosted the event at the David Eccles Conference Center to honor individuals in five categories, and teams in two categories, for their performance in 2013.
Guest speaker Maj. Gen. Sandra E. Finan, Commander of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at Kirtland AFB, N.M., praised the nominees and award winners for their achievements and gave specific examples of how individuals and teams, through hard work and dedication have made great improvements in Air Force hardware, processes, policies and procedures.
The award winners included:
Individual awards
Maj. Matthew Franchetti , of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at Hill AFB, for excellence in ICBM acquisition and sustainment.
Senior Master Sgt. James Spino, of the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo., for excellence in maintenance and logistics.
Maren Dykster, of the 309th Missile Maintenance Group at Hill AFB, for excellence in ICBM depot maintenance.
Senior Master Sgt. Jason Salonis, of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Hill AFB, for excellence in space and C3I acquisition and sustainment.
Capt. Shaun Phillips, of the 50th Space Wing at Shriever AFB, Colo., for excellence in space and C3I maintenance and logisitics.
Team awards
ICBM Integration Support Contract Team, of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at Hill AFB, for excellence in ICBM acquisition and sustainment.
AEHF-3 Launch and Test Team, of Los Angeles AS, Calif., for excellence in space and C3I acquisition and sustainment.
The Scowcroft Awards highlight top performers in the Air Force at a time when much attention has been focused on individual and leadership failures across the service, said Bob George, President of the Utah AFA.
"While the bad things often get national press coverage, dedicated airmen, civilians and contractor employees, represented by the Scowcroft nominees and award winners, ensure that ours is the most effective Air Force in the world," George said.
George continued to praise AFA volunteers Jim Aadland and Joel Ward, along with a number of industry partners, who spent their time and resources to host the Scowcroft awards.
He said it's important that some of those people who make our Air Force great are recognized for their hard work and dedication.
The award, named after Lt. Gen. Brent Scowcroft, who led the "Scowcroft Commission" to map the future of ICBMs, was originally set to honor the top performers in the ICBM arena only.
Over the years it has expanded to include the top acquisition, sustainment, maintenance and logistics performers in the space and C3I communities.