Keesler NCOs receive Air Force recognition Published April 2, 2009 By Susan Griggs 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, BILOXI, MISS. -- Three Keesler noncommissioned officers took top honors in the Air Force's A1 Awards Program. The program incorporates traditional mission support awards and services functional awards. The Air Force award winners are: Tech. Sgt. Jessica Woodruff, NCO in charge of family readiness for the airman and family readiness center, won the base-level intermediate award. Sergeant Woodruff wrote a grant proposal which secured $10,000 for deployed family programs from the American Red Cross. She coordinated with seven base agencies to improve post-deployment briefings and orchestrated two Operation Hero events attended by more than 500 military family members. She coordinated 14 events for 400 families of deployed members. Sergeant Woodruff coordinated Keesler's Hearts from Home Valentine's Day event that created care packages for 240 deployed members and created an Adopt an Airman program to send Christmas parcels to deployed Airmen. She was a Make A Difference Day team leader directing 135 volunteers on two Salvation Army projects and partnered with the USO for a holiday event that benefited 1,000 interservice family members. Tech. Sgt. Ezra Khan, Airman Leadership School instructor of the year, filled the commandant role during a critical manning shortage and led graduations of three ALS classes. He provided training slots for three geographically separated units, saving $44,000 in per diem costs. He designed the first ALS class sponsor program and was instrumental in an Air Education and Training Award for best ALS productivity rate for the second consecutive year. Sergeant Khan was selected by the chief of enlisted professional military education to author a new communications curriculum and testing strategy for 73 ALS units across the Air Force. He justified the award of $30,000 disaster recovery funds to open a new enlisted heritage hall, was recognized as the 81st Training Wing's community service award winner and served as a Keesler ambassador during Salute to the Military. Staff Sgt. Joshua Yocum, 81st Communications Squadron, is education and training manager of the year. He deployed for 120 days as test control/education service officer to Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait. He administered 532 career development course and professional military education tests, a 45 percent increase from the previous rotation. He administered more than 500 CLEP/DANTES exams which saved the Air Force more than $300,000 in tuition assistance. At Keesler, Sergeant Yocum was the contact person for training base area migration in Air Education and Training Command and managed both the 81st CS and 81st Logistics Readiness Squadron training programs. He served as a self aid/buddy care instructor, taught swimming lessons on base and volunteered for the Air Force's bystander intervention training program. As an active PTA council member, Sergeant Yocum organized five social and educational functions at Jeff Davis Elementary School.