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JBSA News
NEWS | March 3, 2008

Air Force honors 12th Medical Group NCOs with Medical Service Awards

By Robert Goetz Wingspread staff writer

Two Team Randolph members from the 12th Medical Group earned 2007 Air Force Medical Service Awards. 

Master Sgt. Yolanda Batchelor, Public Health Flight NCOIC, was recognized as the lead public health NCO in the Air Force after receiving the Col. Cleveland L. Parker NCO Award at the Air Education and Training Command level. 

Tech. Sgt. Daniel Johnson, Outpatient Records NCOIC, is the top administrative NCO in the Air Force. He had earned the AETC-level Health Plans Management NCO Award.
Col. Paul Bennett, 12th MDG commander, said Sergeants Batchelor and Johnson "have proven again that they are the backbone of the 12th Medical Group." 

"Both these NCOs have something in common," he said. "They are involved both clinically and operationally. They mentor their Airmen. They are flexible and open to suggestions and are involved outside the group at both the Top 3 and NCOA organizations." 

Colonel Bennett called them "out-front leaders." 

"Team Randolph would be all that much less if it were not for both Sergeant Johnson and Sergeant Batchelor," he said. 

Colonel Bennett said Sergeant Batchelor "inherited a flight that had some issues both from a morale and operational perspective and she ensured these issues were resolved within days after she assumed the NCOIC role." 

She reviewed more than 1,500 pre-deployment requirements with no discrepancies, reviewed more than 5,200 questions with no complaints as patient advocate for public health and was the linchpin of the 12th Flying Training Wing's successful first-ever pandemic exercise. 

Sergeant Batchelor was chosen 12th Aeromedical Dental Squadron NCO of the Year in 2006 and 12th Flying Training Wing NCO of the Fourth Quarter that same year. She ranked first in AETC for deployment processing, certified 1,500 pre-deployment requirements and led the Public Health Flight to an overall "excellent" rating during the Air Force inspector general's consult visit. 

She attended the 40-hour First Sergeants Symposium and led the wing quarterly awards program.
 
Colonel Bennett said Sergeant Johnson was also responsible for improving the performance of those around him. 

"He took over an area that had some serious issues and, within a few months, took this section from a 'fail' on the last inspection in October 2004 to a 'best practice' during our recent October 2007 inspection," he said. "He sets the example both in the clinical and operational arenas." 

Sergeant Johnson also helped improve the fitness level of staff members.
"There was a time when some of his staff were not doing as well as he thought they could on their PT tests," Colonel Bennett said. "He implemented a pushup/sit-up regimen and also placed weights in the records area." 

Sergeant Johnson supervised nine servicemembers and four civilians, managed $170,000 in equipment and more than 44,000 medical records and supported more than 25,000 beneficiaries.