Finance instructor earns Air Force award Published Feb. 3, 2011 By Susan Griggs 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Staff Sgt. Brandon Harris, 335th Training Squadron, is the Air Force's finance educator of the year. Sergeant Harris, an instructor for the enlisted financial management courses, has served in the Air Force for seven years, three of them at Keesler. Sergeant Harris, who calls Arkoma, Okla., home, mentored 361 Airmen and motivated six marginal students to avoid washback. He revitalized two blocks of instruction by updating 960 pages of course material. He's the financial management learning center's community of practice administrator and managed 18 self-inspection checklists. He conducted a financial management class online, curtailing instructor workload by 50 percent. Sergeant Harris led two Keesler 5/6 fundraisers, served as a dispatcher for Airmen Against Drunk Driving, coached his squadron's softball team and recruited 12 volunteers to mentor 20 teens at Biloxi's detention center. He's earned 15 academic hours toward his master's degree in business administration. "I've been very fortunate to be here at Keesler with a great team and good leaders," Sergeant Harris said. "My supervisor has really helped to progress my career. I am humbled and very appreciative to be getting this."