WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Air Force Materiel Command honored its top Airmen of 2016 during the command's Annual Excellence Awards Banquet March 8, 2017.
Two Airmen from Team Eglin were selected honored with the award in their specific category. Then-Senior Airman Nathan Koenig, 96th Security Forces Squadron, won the Airman category. He has since moved up to staff sergeant. Kenneth Pickler, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, won for Civilian Category III.
Gen. Ellen M. Pawlikowski, AFMC commander, hosted the awards ceremony. After congratulating all the nominees and winners on a job well done, she commented on how fortunate she felt to be the commander of such Airmen.
"I am the luckiest commander in the Air Force," said Pawlikowski. "No other place in the Air Force other than AFMC will you find Airmen who have such a direct effect on protecting our freedoms."
Airman Category
-- Senior Airman Nathan M. Koenig, 96th Security Forces Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. As a Base Defense Operations Center Controller, Koenig stood out first as the No. 1 Airman in the Air Force’s largest wing. From this position he directed 75 persons, securing the Defense Department’s largest base. Koenig managed the DoD’s largest alarm system, and became the first Airman selected as Electronic Security Manager, normally an E-5 position.
Civilian Category III – Kenneth D. Pickler, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Pickler distinguished himself as Chief of Financial Management for the Long Range Standoff Cruise Missile Program, Nuclear Weapons Acquisition Division, Air Delivered Capabilities Directorate. Pickler led six top financial management experts executing a $10 billion program. Additionally, his innovations in staffing the program were lauded by Air Staff leadership for setting new benchmarks in civilian hiring. He co-led Air Force-wide streamlining of acquisition finance self-inspection checklists, reducing line items by 86 percent and focusing inspections on the most critical processes and policies.
Winners in the four enlisted categories will represent AFMC in the United States Air Force Twelve Outstanding Airmen of the Year and First Sergeant of the Year competitions held later this year.