DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- More than 600 512th Airlift Wing reservists and community members gathered to celebrate the wing’s 2023 annual awards winners Feb. 4 on Dover Air Force Base, Delaware.
Annual awards recognize Airmen and civilian employees for their exemplary performance in their career fields.
The 2023 award winners are:
Airman of the Year, Senior Airman Lidia Marroquin, 709th Airlift Squadron
Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, Tech Sgt. Jonathan Eberle, 512th Security Forces Squadron
Senior NCO of the Year, Senior Master Sgt. Bryan Hanggi, 712th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
Company Grade Officer of the Year, First Lt. Olli Fosu, 512th Civil Engineer Squadron
CAT I Civilian of the Year, Alvin Hernandez, 512th Mission Support Group
CAT II Civilian of the Year, Brian LaRochelle, 512th Force Support Squadron
First Sergeant of the Year, Master Sgt. Andrew German, 512th CES
Key Spouse of the Year, Tony Pierce, 512th FSS
The enlisted winners advance to compete at the 4th Air Force level.
The 2023 quarterly award winners were recognized at the event as well.
Chief Master Sgt. David Melby, 512th AW command chief, said “This is my favorite time of year, when we get to celebrate all of our superior performers.”
Col. Douglas Stouffer, 512th AW commander, lauded the winners, noting the hard work and commitment they put in throughout the year.
“You all are the soul of the airlift wing,” he said. “Without you, there is no wing.”
Heralded by squadron chants and booming applause, each winner received a liberty bell plaque.
The event also served as a farewell for Stouffer, marking his last Unit Training Assembly as the wing commander.
“I can’t think of a better way of ending my time here than celebrating our Airmen and the great jobs you have done,” said Stouffer. “Thank you for allowing me to serve, and be part of the 512th family. I’m going to greatly miss the men, women, Airmen and civilians that are in the 512th.”