2013 Annual Safety Award winners announced

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Veronica Ward
  • Air Force Academy Public Affairs
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --  Four of the Academy's Annual Safety Awards were presented to two individuals, one unit and one group by Lt. Gen. Johnson Dec. 11 in the Superintendent's conference room.

The awards recognize outstanding individuals, units and groups for their contribution to the USAFA safety program.

Individuals are nominated by the nominee's organizational commander, packages are reviewed, and winners are recommended to the Vice Superintendent for final approval.

Unit Safety Representative of the Year was awarded to MSgt. Chad Bruce, applied mechanics lab superintendent, for excelling as the industrial safety manager, leading an eight-member cadet team to first place in a competition against other engineering schools, and for guiding self-inspections and 550 core compliance items.

Martin Johnson, an electronics engineer from the Dean of Faculty, was named Safety Individual of the Year for his development of training program in laser, lab, and classroom laser safety procedures, and for enabling 100 percent safe operations of advanced research equipment.

The 10th Security Forces Squadron, represented by Maj. Jose Lebron, was named Safety Unit of the Year for shielding the Academy's 11,000 residents and over 1.8 million visitors, carrying out thousands of vehicle searches, sustaining CATM Operation with 50 percent manpower, and the safe execution on home football games and graduation.

Safety Team of the Year was awarded to the Cadet Wing Training division, which led the first cadet security graduation detail, managed Cadet Wing weapons and munitions accounts, and contributed to the Academy's lowest Basic Cadet Training attrition rate in its history.