103rd Airlift Wing recognizes 2010 top performers

  • Published
  • By Capt. Jefferson S. Heiland
  • 103rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
BRADLEY AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, East Granby, Conn. --  The 103rd Airlift Wing's annual awards ceremony was held June 4, 2011, on base in the main hangar to recognize and reward Airmen for their outstanding performance in their duties.

While this year's ceremony had no tables or luncheon meal, the spirit of change in making the awards ceremony better each year did not go away. As each award recipient went on stage, they could be seen by live video feed projected onto a giant screen in an effort to associate the name with a face.

According to Col. Frank Detorie, 103rd Airlift Wing commander, regardless of how the awards ceremony evolves, the focus will be on the award recipients. "These are our best and brightest--our outstanding performers, and they deserve the recognition they got today. I am a firm believer in success breeds success...and they set the tone with their performance, their work ethic and their dedication," he said.

"We have established ourselves and built the reputation throughout the Guard and throughout the Air Force as just top-notch performers," Detorie said.
Some awardees who, according to Detorie, set the pace and the tone of the work environment are:

Outstanding Airman of the Year 2010 - Senior Airman Corinna Kalisz, 103rd Air and Space Operations Group

Outstanding Noncommissioned Officer of the Year 2010 - Tech. Sgt. Stephen Pierce, 103rd Maintenance Group

Outstanding Senior NCO of the Year 2010 - Master Sgt. Michael Hayes, 103rd Air and Space Operations Group

Outstanding First Sergeant of the Year 2010 -- Master Sgt. Mark Penney, 103rd Security Forces Squadron

First Sergeant's Diamond Award - Staff Sgt. Sarah Lateano, 103rd Air and Space
Operations Group

Chief's Award - Staff Sgt. Michael Quagliaroli, 103rd Security Forces Squadron
Commander's Award - Tech. Sgt. Stephen Pierce, 103rd Maintenance Group

To conclude the ceremony, Col. Detorie pinned the unit flag with the Air Force Outstanding Unit of the Year Award streamer to formally recognize the incredible achievements and performance of the wing as a whole. The wing was selected to receive the prestigious award for its exceptionally meritorious service from 1 July 2009 to 15 October 2010.

"To everybody in the room...this signifies recognition at the very highest level--so to you all, thank you very much," Detorie said.