Annual awards banquet honors wing's best

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Donna T. Jeffries
  • 514th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  More than 60 Reserve members were singled out for their outstanding performance during 2011 at the 514th Air Mobility Wing's 12th Annual Awards Banquet held at the community center here Jan. 21.

Award winners were: Brett Vanderen, 514th Force Support Squadron, category 1 civilian; Mrs. Judith Pates, 514th Force Support Squadron, category 2 civilian; Capt. Corey DeWaters, 732nd Airlift Squadron, company grade officer of the year; Senior Airman Gweneth Dunscomb, 35th Aerial Port Squadron, Airman of the year; Tech. Sgt. Gregory Dicembri, 514th Civil Engineer Squadron, noncommissioned officer of the year; Master Sgt. Michael Fletcher, 514th Security Force Squadron, senior NCO of the year and Master Sgt. Charles Kramer, 732nd Airlift Squadron, first sergeant of the year.

In addition to the wing's annual awards, one individual and one organization were presented with the Joseph A. McNeil Award: Senior Master Sgt. Wayne Hanna, 732nd Airlift Squadron, and the Manasquan Elks Lodge 2534 from Manasquan, N.J.

The award is named after retired Maj. Gen. Joseph A. McNeil. In addition to his 39 years of military service, which included a stint as the commander of the Freedom Wing, and a civil service career with the Federal Aviation Administration, he is known as a civil rights pioneer.

In 1960 he and three other African American friends insisted on being served at an F.W. Woolworth whites-only lunch counter in Greensboro, N.C. The protest sparked sit-ins all over the segregated South and is considered a major event in the nation's civil rights movement. General McNeil's life example of citizenship and service to others is part of the criteria selection the award is based on.

Freedom Wing Award trophies were also presented. These awards are designed to recognize the squadron and group that earned the most points for submitting officer and enlisted performance reports, awards and decorations, quarterly awards and other individual award nominations. For the 2011 squadron level the 514th Aircraft Maintenance and 514th Maintenance Squadrons tied for first place, the 714th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron took second place and the 35th Aerial Port Squadron earned third place. The 514th Maintenance Group garnered the group level award for the third year in a row.