AMC announces 2003 Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award winners

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, ILL. (USTCNS) --- Air Mobility Command recently announced the command's nominees for the Lance P. Sijan U.S. Air Force Leadership Award. The nominees by category are:

Senior officer: Lt. Col. Mark S. Hershman, 7th Airlift Squadron, McChord AFB, Wash. Colonel Hershman's exemplary leadership resulted in successful prosecution of the largest combat heavy equipment drop, in the largest C-17A formation, during the largest nighttime single-pass airdrop since the D-Day invasion of World War II. This resulted in the successful insertion of the 173rd Airborne Brigade into Northern Iraq.

Junior officer: Capt. Todd m. Graham, 89th Civil Engineering Squadron, Andrews AFB. Md. Captain Graham creatively led teams bringing significant infrastructure improvements to Andrews AFB, supporting deployed operations at al Udeid Air Base, and establishing numerous benchmarks now used throughout Headquarters AMC.

Senior enlisted: Master Sgt. Robert W. Traynor, 92nd Aeromedical Dental Squadron, Fairchild AFB, Wash. Sergeant Traynor's work to build a disaster and contingency response team with representatives from the 92nd Medical Group, Fairchild Fire Department, Spokane County, American Medical Response, and the Regional Disaster Control Center, placed Fairchild AFB at its highest disaster response readiness state to date.

Junior enlisted: Tech. Sgt. Christopher R. May, 305th CES, McGuire AFB, N.J. Sergeant May's leadership of two 43-person facility teams covering two work zones with a $500,000 budget resulted in superb renovations, efficient maintenance, and timely emergency service across McGuire AFB.

The Lance P. Sijan U.S. Air Force Leadership Award, named in honor of the late Capt. Lance P. Sijan, an Air Force Academy graduate and combat pilot, provides recognition for officer and enlisted leaders who have demonstrated the highest qualities of leadership in their personal conduct and performance of duties.