512th boasts AFRC NCO of the Year Ground Safety Award 2nd year in a row

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Joe Yanik
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Air Force Reserve Command announced Master Sgt. Robert Wynn, the 512th Maintenance Squadron NCO in charge of the aerospace ground equipment dispatch and repair section, as the winner of the NCO of the Year Ground Safety Award for fiscal 2012, Nov 19.

Wynn won the safety award in the category of additional duty.

Wynn's accomplishments include reducing the occurrence of military recordable safety mishaps by 50 percent within his squadron and completing a course on operational risk management through the Delaware Safety Council.

"I was very excited to have learned that I won the award," said Wynn, who acknowledges the support of his supervisor, Senior Master Sgt. James Dowd, the 512th Airlift Wing ground and safety monitor Master Sgt. Kevin Casquarelli and his unit's alternate safety representative Staff Sgt. Kenneth Smolecki.

AFRC judges also took into account Wynn's efforts in increasing safety awareness off duty by introducing a healthy eating program and physical activity regimen for a local pre-school and by promoting safe motorcycle driving techniques throughout the Dover Air Force Base community.

As a motorcycle safety representative, Wynn worked with Senior Master Sgt. Bryan Ford, 512th MXS maintenance flight chief, to develop a motorcycle awareness pamphlet that is available for riders to carry with them.

"I'm proud MXS safety NCOs have captured this command-level award two years in a row," said Chief Master Sgt. Christopher Ford, 512th MXS superintendent. "More importantly, it's great to see Master Sgt. Wynn be recognized for the professionalism and dedication he has for the safety of our people and resources. He's a proven expert in this field."

Wynn said he thought one particular accomplishment that may have made him stand out among other candidates for the safety award was his implementation of a more enhanced safety continuity binder that is used to upload safety documents on the enterprise information management site. He said Airmen within his squadron can easily access these uploaded safety documents.

In 2011, AFRC awarded the same accolade to Tech. Sgt. Kevin Hitesman for his efforts as safety monitor within the 512th MXS.