* Name/rank: Staff Sgt. Steven A. Turner
* Unit: 343rd Training Squadron
* Duty title: Security Forces Apprentice Course Instructor
* Time in service: 27 Jan 2009 (8 Years)
* Hometown: Azle, Texas
* First Sergeant’s comments on why this individual is deserving of recognition:
Staff Sgt. Steven Turner is a Security Forces Apprentice Course instructor assigned to the 343rd Training Squadron. Since being assigned he has accumulated one thousand teaching hours and awarded more than nine thousand Community College of the Air Force hours to four-hundred Airmen. Additionally, he was able to train 50 Airmen to successfully complete objectives they had previously failed, saving the Air Force approximately $90 thousand and ensuring report timelines were met. Turner was instrumental in his flights transition to a new schedule. As the subject matter expert for combatives training, he took it upon himself to ensure all members of his instructor team were up to date on current procedures. His attention to detail led him to being chosen to instruct key aspects of the security forces career field for more than 80 distinguished visitors. Staff Sgt. Turner’s hard work and dedication to this unit and the U.S. Air Force make him the perfect candidate for the diamond sharp award.
* Name/rank: Tech. Sgt. Nicole J. Turner
* Unit: 344th Training Squadron
* Duty title: Recruiter Instructor
* Time in service: 19 Years
* Hometown: Fresno, Calif.
* First Sergeant’s comments on why this individual is deserving of recognition:
Tech. Sgt. Nicole Turner always goes above and beyond by demonstrating the Air Force Core Values. She is the long standing coordinator of Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland’s Airmen Professional Enhancement seminar. She coordinated over 18 briefers, across JBSA, to ensure more than 100 Airmen were prepared for future leadership roles. Tech. Sgt. Turner also volunteered to be the NCO In charge of JBSA-Lackland’s Honor Guard where she will coordinate all Honor Guard activity in our region. She is also the lead for the Warrior Family Support Center where she orchestrated over 250 volunteer hours for our Wounded Warriors. Turner’s fingerprints are all over JBSA. She is a true professional, consummate leader and certainly deserving of the Diamond Sharp Award.
* Name/rank: Senior Airman Ashlee M. Durand
* Unit: 959th MDOS/SGOR
* Duty title: Surgical Technician
* Time in service: 3 years
* Hometown: Hunlock Creek, Pa.
* First Sergeant’s comments on why this individual is deserving of recognition:
Senior Airman Durand deserves to be awarded the Diamond Sharp Award. As a member of the sterilization processing department crash cart team, she takes care of all 100 crash carts located in the hospital and 54 clinics, with each individual crash cart containing over $60 thousand worth of equipment for a grand total of $600 thousand worth in supplies, and medications. The attention to detail in this task is key to the survival of the patients that the crash carts’ supplies are used on. In addition, she is the education department team leader who ensures all 63 personnel in the department are properly and adequately trained in their career field and maintain their work certification training as is required in order to work in this military treatment facility. She worked more than 90 extra duty hours to assure the proficiency of the Competency Assessment Folders, increasing the department average from 53.4-90.9 percent in a week and a half. She is also in charge of the accurate Defense Medical Human Resources System-internet time coding of 63 personnel. This is pivotal in the staffing we are provided for the department to accomplish our mission and to ensure the accurate man hours recording. As the lead member of the Morale Committee in SPD, she is in charge of putting on special events in the department. Special events for the department have included thus far two baby showers, and three farewell parties for departing personnel. In addition, on her free time she volunteered 10 hours at Animal Care Services center which has become the only no kill shelter in San Antonio. This facility takes in over 30 thousand animals per year varying in species. Finally, in the absent of orders Senior Airman Durand took charge, covered and ran SPD on second shift for an equivalent of 36 hours when NCOs weren’t available to do so. She was able to cover all her duties, assemble 63 surgical sets, and quality check for 16,705 sterilized sets for the month of January and February 2017.
* Name/rank: Senior Airman Nikkita Lester
* Unit: 624th Operations Center
* Duty Title: Weapons System Administrator
* Time in service: 2 years
* Hometown: Colorado Springs, Colo.
* First Sergeant’s comments on why this individual is deserving of recognition:
Senior Airman Nikkita Lester is assigned as a Weapons System Administrator for the 624th Operations Center, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. She is responsible for ensuring over 900 virtual desktops are operational for the execution of cyber missions that operate and defend the $14 billion Air Force Information Network. She recently completed the installation upgrade of sixteen servers used for live targeting operations in the cyber domain. After encountering several problems with the install, she engineered a fix action and directed the Project Management Office on the implementation of her plan. Senior Airman Lester is a self-reliant Airman who needs little-to-no supervision. She recently completed her Community College of the Air Force degree, was promoted to Senior Airman Below the Zone and won Airman of the year for 2016. She is the unit Safety Manager, volley ball coach and the commander’s go-to expert in her division. Senior Airman Lester is a highly respected member of the Operations Center, revered by her peers and idolized by her subordinates.
* Name/rank: Staff Sgt. Mikela Armstrong
* Unit: 59th MDSP
* Duty title: Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge
* Time in service: 7 years
* Hometown: Belle Glade, Fla.
* First Sergeant’s comments on why this individual is deserving of recognition:
Staff Sgt. Armstrong is my nominee for the Diamond Sharp Award because she punches above her weight class! For starters, she takes care of the mission. As Non Commissioned Officer in Charge of the Allergy clinic, she recently converted 21 operating instructions into standard operating procedures. She is utilizing her experience to re-write our flights Master Training Plan. While directing daily operations for the Air Force’s largest A/I clinic consisting of 41 enlisted members, she also directs regional Allergy SEI training for 22 technicians. She is currently pursuing her degree in Business Management while completing her Professional Military Education. Although she carries a heavy load, she keeps a smile and an upbeat attitude when dealing with our patients as well as our staff. She is a leader among leaders. I recently witnessed her call a no notice meeting with the junior NCO’s in the flight. She provided them with copies of the Enlisted Force Structure that she pre-highlighted as she outlined her expectations. There are a lot of sharp rocks in our squadron, however I feel that Staff Sgt. Mikela Armstrong is the sharpest. This is why she is my clear choice for the Diamond Sharp Award!
* Name/rank: Staff Sgt. Anastasia Nix
* Unit: 625th ACOMS/OL-A
* Duty title: Non Commission Officer in Charge, Client System
* Time in service: 11 Years
* Hometown: Clyo, Ga.
* First Sergeant’s comments on why this individual is deserving of recognition:
Staff Sgt. Nix was recently a team member in a small group of 12 Airmen that was transferred from the National Air and Space Intelligence Center to the 625th Air Communications Squadron under an operating location from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. During this time, Nix corralled the team and ensured the acquisition and installation of 48 classified and unclassified workstations, which allowed operations to continue with zero downtime. During the transfer, she was the trouble ticket queue manager and assigned 75 while ensuring customer response time was reduced to less than one day. Additionally, she handles impromptu tasks with the utmost urgency and excellence. She recently took the initiative to have each member’s nametape and desk number created to reduced confusion amongst new team members and customers. Furthermore, she is the linchpin that binds the morale of the section. Sergeant Nix initiated numerous section morale events, facilitated three going away luncheons, and regularly surprises the team with delicious personally baked goods. Sergeant Nix is the “mom” of our detached unit and certainly a Wingman amongst all.
* Name/rank: Technical Sgt. Sereena N. Harmon
* Unit: 324th Training Squadron
* Duty title: Military Training Instructor
* Time in service: 11 Years, 6 Months
* Hometown: Kreuznach, Germany
* First Sergeant’s comments on why this individual is deserving of recognition:
Tech. Sgt. Sereena Harmon expertly trained 50 of the Air Force’s newest Airmen on the service’s core values, drill and ceremony, study skills, physical fitness, critical thinking skills, and other character traits vital to today’s Warrior Airmen. Her squadron’s leadership capitalized on Sergeant Harmon’s planning expertise by appointing her as the unit’s Emergency Manager. In this role, she has excelled in ensuring the unit is in compliance with all applicable safety and emergency planning directives intended to safeguard the current staffing of 79 personnel and 701 trainees from a variety of hazards to include severe weather, active shooter, and chemical/biological attack. Additionally, her planning ensured the unit is mission ready for a base wide severe weather and emergency response exercise. Tech. Sgt. Harmon’s leadership proved critical to the evacuation of over 800 trainees during a two day period in which the squadron’s building lost vital heating and water capabilities necessary to living sustainment. Her assistance with coordination of movement ensured seamless transition and continued training for all afflicted trainees and provided the needed downtime that permitted emergency crews to safely restore the building’s systems. Finally, Technical Sgt. Harmon’s exemplary professionalism resulted in her being hand selected to represent the entire Basic Military Instructor Corps in the Profession of Arms Center of Excellence’s [PACE] Heritage Video for Air Education and Training Command. This video documents and immortalizes the Military Instructor Corps’ outstanding professionalism as a teaching, promotional, and advertising tool for current Air Force personnel, recruiting services, and public education and release. Her direct selection to represent the MTI Corps in this video highlights the caliber of professional she truly is. Tech. Sgt. Sereena Harmon’s outstanding service represents the type of professional deserving of Diamond Sharp recognition.