FSS NCO best in Air Force

  • Published
  • By Connie Hempel
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --   A 17th Force Support Squadron staff sergeant proved to be the best in the Air Force by winning the 2010 Air Force Personnel Airman of the Year Award.

Recently promoted Staff Sgt. Laura Garcia, the Outbound Assignments Assistant NCOIC, has been in the Air Force for just over four years and said she's honored and humbled to win the award, her first Air Force-level award.

"In my wildest dreams I would never have imagined winning such a prestigious award," she said. "I am really excited that I got to represent Goodfellow in such a positive way."

Her supervisor, Tech. Sgt. Alison Meador, Outbound Assignments NCOIC, said Sergeant Garcia is someone who always works hard and strives to improve herself and others.

Throughout the year, Sergeant Garcia made immense efforts towards her Community College of the Air Force degree and will be graduating this spring with her Associates in Human Resources. She has also spent hundreds of hours volunteering in the community, wing, with the Honor Guard and even in her squadron's booster club. Although she's had hundreds of hours making a difference contributing her time outside the duty day, Sergeant Garcia was also able to make a difference at work.

She surpassed the Air Force goal for processing Enlisted and Officer Performance reports by 12 percent, developed a wing evaluations tracking process that cuts overdue reports by 65 percent, and created an electronic change of reporting official program. While the Personnel Systems Management Chief position was vacant, she was able to take the reins and avoid mission failure.

Sergeant Garcia said that since she entered the Air Force at an older age, she believes it's necessary to set an example for younger airmen to follow so she holds herself to a higher standard.

"Pushing myself is always necessary," she said. "Always giving 110 percent in all we do is always challenging, but it eventually molds us into the best people we can possibly be."

Sergeant Meador said what sets Sergeant Garcia apart from others in FSS is, "not only the sheer volume of her contributions, but the fact that she never allows any detail of any project or aspect of her career to fall in the cracks."