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Eglin warriors receive surprise promotion

  • Published
  • By Samuel King Jr.
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Recently, four Team Eglin warriors received an extra special holiday surprise - a promotion, via the Stripes for Exceptional Performers program.

"The program is for star performers who are having a little trouble with testing," said Chief Master Sgt. William Harner, Jr., 53rd Wing command chief. "It provides an avenue to ensure they don't fall too far behind their peers."

Newly promoted Master Sgt. Michael Hager, 96th Force Support Squadron, and Tech Sgts. Yolanda Wallace, 46th Test Wing, Christopher Owens, 96th Communications Squadron, and most recently Alba Kasperek, 29th Test Systems Squadron, (Jan. 4) were informed in many elaborate ways of their new rank.

Sergeant Wallace's Dec. 23 scenario was built up to make her think she was in trouble, and had to see Col. Michael Brewer, 46th Test Wing commander, due to a bad write up on an inspection.

"I was so nervous to go in and talk to him," she recounted. "I have never seen the commander upset before. When we walked in, I had to sit right next to him, I was really scared."

Colonel Brewer asked about the problem and training, making her sweat it out before saying 'if you are going to be a tech sergeant, then you have to ensure people are trained,' according to Sergeant Wallace.

"I said, 'but I'm not a tech, sir, but that won't stop me from getting people trained,'" she said.

He pulled out the stripes and said 'Well, let's see if we can change that,' according to Sergeant Wallace.

"I started to cry," she said. "That was all I needed for Christmas."

Sergeant Wallace had received her date to test for promotion only two days earlier.

Sergeant Owens' stripes were awarded under the guise of a visit to the 96th CS and UCI brief from Col. Bruce McClintock, 96th Air Base Wing commander, Dec. 24.

The colonel mentioned the UCI examiners could ask random people questions on the checklist. As an example, he called on Sergeant Owens to answer a question and then spoke about making sure the uniform looks good.

"He looked at me and told me, I was out of uniform," said Sergeant Owens. "I had no clue what was going on, and asked what he meant. He and the chief showed me the stripes and I was surprised. Floored."

"Floored" may be the proper term for what almost happened to Sergeant Hager when 96th leadership visited him.

Sergeant Hager heard wing and group leadership gathering in the hallway outside his office. Then, the wing and vice commander, command chief and other leadership were all in his office asking him questions.

"He asked me about my old job as the FTAC (First-Term Airmen's Center) NCO in-charge, so in my head I was thinking I won the Air-Force level award for that," he said. "Then he started talking about my current job as assistant first sergeant."

Colonel McClintock told Sergeant Hager that in a position like his, he always needed to be within "regs," and told him he was out of uniform. Then the colonel showed him the master sergeant stripes.

"When I realized what was going on my heart dropped, my blood pressure shot up and my hands were shaking," said the new senior NCO.

His hands were shaking so bad, he could not dial the phone to tell his wife; and when Colonel McClintock offered to help, he couldn't remember his number right away. Finally the call was placed.

"She was a little shocked when she heard 'this is Colonel McClintock,'" he said. "Her first reaction was that I was in a car wreck, but when she heard the good news, she said 'oh my God, can somebody check his blood pressure.'"

The 53rd Wing Commander, Col. Michael Gantt, barged into a meeting "demanding help with his computer" before awarding new stripes to Sergeant Kasperek, (a network integrator) who was "speechless" after the announcement.

"I was studying (for the promotion test), too," the 11-year veteran said in disbelief. "I was not expecting it, definitely not expecting it."

Air Force personnel can be promoted via STEP promotion to the ranks of staff sergeant to master sergeant. Less than 200 promotions are available each year.