Study time pays off for new CCAF graduates Published Nov. 17, 2009 By Tech. Sgt. Tammie Moore 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- More than 180 Airmen at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., achieved an education milestone completing their Community College of the Air Force Degree during 2009. These students will commemorate their achievement Nov. 20 at 4 p.m. during a graduation ceremony hosted by Base Training and Education Services in the community center. The CCAF graduates two classes a year, one in April and the other in October. Due to high operations tempo there is a joint graduation held in the fall. The number of students who earn their CCAF degree here increases by about five to six people each year. This is a trend Hoyt Barrett, Base Training and Education Services CCAF counselor, hopes to see continue. "Considering the tempo we have with deployments that is pretty good," he said. As a CCAF counselor Mr. Barrett spends his day talking to Airmen about their academic aspirations. "Education is knowledge and knowledge is power," he said. "The more you have the more power you have. I wish when I was in (the Air Force) someone would have taken the time to talk to us about education. I did not get my CCAF until I was a master sergeant." Mr. Barrett encourages Airmen who only want to serve for four years to not write off this opportunity. If an Airman is going to leave the Air Force and they join the job market with a CCAF degree it demonstrates initiative to future employers, he said. "This shows a class of personality employers like, it shows you are self-driven." The degree is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges. This degree is a stepping stone, toward earning a bachelor's degree, then a master's degree, Mr. Barrett said. "The (Air Force) is not your final destination in life; you want to prepare for what happens next." For more information about the CCAF, call 722-5800 or visit http://www.au.af.mil/au/ccaf/. Congratulations to the Seymour Johnson 2009 CCAF graduates: Aerospace Ground Equipment Technology Tech. Sgt. Travis Dunson Staff Sgt. William Dunston Staff Sgt. Michael Holt Master Sgt. Raymond Mullins Master Sgt. Marcus Potter Tech. Sgt. Michael Shea Aerospace Physiology Instructor Staff Sgt. Terrace Gill Aircraft Armament Systems Technology Tech. Sgt. Jason Barnshaw Staff Sgt. Devon Binkowski Staff Sgt. Shaun Bonds Staff Sgt. Shannon Boyd Airman 1st Class Tyler Gilstrap Staff Sgt. Jeremy Goldston Tech. Sgt. Cassie Johnson Staff Sgt. Anthony Maldonado Senior Airman Aaron Miranda Master Sgt. Jason Sampson Aircraft Armament Systems Technology/Fire Science Staff Sgt. Cale Hollingsworth Aircrew Safety Systems Technology Staff Sgt. Arvin Baldorado Staff Sgt. Christopher Hoover Airway Science Staff Sgt. Nathanael Crawford Senior Airman Kurt Lind Allied Health Sciences Senior Airman Cynthia Bindert Staff Sgt. Andrea Nazario Staff Sgt. Stacy Neagles Staff Sgt. Leasa Novotny Senior Airman Shana Porter Tech. Sgt. Amy Santos Allied Health Sciences/Electronic Systems Management Staff Sgt. Staci Ross Allied Health Sciences/Information Systems Technology Tech. Sgt. Kristie Saltzmann Aviation Maintenance Technology Senior Airman Joseph Basuil Master Sgt. John Beal Master Sgt. Craig Beaucage Master Sgt. Kevin Byrne Staff Sgt. John Coyle Staff Sgt. Patrick Cozine Tech. Sgt. James Daniel Senior Airman Mark Dickinson Master Sgt. Paul Dunham Tech. Sgt. Glenn Ferguson Tech. Sgt. Gregory Ferrell Senior Airman Kevin Galdamez Senior Airman Andrew Gloeckner Staff Sgt. Quinton Greene Staff Sgt. Richard Growney Tech. Sgt. John Hamrick Master Sgt. Robert Heinrich Senior Airman Gregory Hibshman Senior Airman Gregory Hibshman Staff Sgt. Christopher Hines Staff Sgt. Chad Holland Master Sgt. Timothy Keller Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Lolley Staff Sgt. TJ McLelland Staff Sgt. Anthony Mendoza Senior Airman Jonathan Meyers Tech. Sgt. Todd Miller Tech. Sgt. Leondas Moore Master Sgt. Gregory Pearson Master Sgt. Brian Petticoffer Senior Airman Ryan Rhea Master Sgt. Charles Ross Master Sgt. Wayne Rozzi Master Sgt. Scott Schmeltzer Senior Airman Jonathon Shanley Staff Sgt. Jessica Sliwoski Staff Sgt. Jimmy Smith Master Sgt. Timothy Smith Master Sgt. Michael Spratt Staff Sgt. Carlton Stokes Master Sgt. Felix Thomas Staff Sgt. Micheal Walton Master Sgt. Derryl Wilson Tech. Sgt. Micky Wilson Master Sgt. Jeffery Worley Staff Sgt. Craig Wyman Aviation Maintenance Technology/Education and Training Management Tech. Sgt. Daniel Benaszeski Aviation Maintenance Technology/Human Resource Management Master Sgt. Gregory Raidl Aviation Management Senior Airman Mark Hoover Senior Airman Chad Spurlock Avionic Systems Technology Staff Sgt. Michael Allard Senior Airman Stephen Bigler Staff Sgt. Kristopher Caulfield Staff Sgt. Erik Chenault Senior Airman Matthew Cline Tech. Sgt. Kendell Cummins Tech. Sgt. William Foster Senior Airman David Gregg Senior Airman Zachary Milne A1c Damian Quintanilla Staff Sgt. Jimmy Tropel Staff Sgt. Adam Wilcox Bioenvironmental Engineering Technology Staff Sgt. Sarah Standifer Communications Applications Technology/ Education and Training Management Staff Sgt. Stephanie Herring Contracts Management Senior Airman Michael Brandt Senior Airman Jennifer Lawson Construction Technology Master Sgt. Robbie Padgett Construction Technology/Information Systems Technology Master Sgt. Jay Sowder Criminal Justice Tech. Sgt. Christopher Beavers Staff Sgt. Jaquetta Bice Staff Sgt. Bradford Camp Master Sgt. Joe Cason Staff Sgt. Rico Lane Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Lash Staff Sgt. Jennifer Nelson Tech. Sgt. Richard Orwig Airman 1st Class Daniel Rose Dental Assisting Staff Sgt. Anita Coe Dental Laboratory Technology Staff Sgt. Andrew Garrett Dietetics and Nutrition Staff Sgt. Celeste Spears Education And Training Management Master Sgt. Kameron Baskerville Staff Sgt. David Flory Tech. Sgt. Shari Stewart Electronic Systems Technology Senior Airman Heather Potts Senior Airman Edmund Smith Emergency Management Senior Airman Timothy Bennett Environmental Systems Technology Master Sgt. Gregory Wilson Explosive Ordnance Disposal Staff Sgt. Matthew Cooper Senior Airman Matthew McCartney Fire Science Staff Sgt. Jason Jessee Financial Management Master Sgt. Tonya Westerman Financial Management/Weather Technology Staff Sgt. Shara Evans Health Care Management Master Sgt. Maria Rech Staff Sgt. Sherri Rowell Human Resources Management Tech. Sgt. William Hudson Master Sgt. Shannon Payne Master Sgt. Craig Porter Staff Sgt. Kristine Rocha Master Sgt. Caroline Watson Information Management Staff Sgt. Danielle Greene Staff Sgt. Taifa Petaway Airman 1st Class Nicole Reynolds Staff Sgt. Chucky Smothers Staff Sgt. Tamika Walthall Information Systems Technology Staff Sgt. Maritza Garza Master Sgt. George Parrish Staff Sgt. David Walker Instructor of Technology and Military Science Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Price Staff Sgt. Tiffany Troupe Logistics Senior Airman Brett Armstrong Master Sgt. Robert Atkinson Staff Sgt. Matthew Copley Staff Sgt. Magika Downing Senior Airman Dennis Garcia Senior Airman Tranay Graffell Staff Sgt. Paige Krueger Senior Airman Jessica Robbins Senior Airman Ross Ruberg Senior Airman Laura Schilling Staff Sgt. Victor Snyder Master Sgt. Douglas Suddueth Staff Sgt. Jimmy Turner Maintenance Production Management Staff Sgt. Kareem Edwards Senior Airman Kawsar Khan Mechanical and Electrical Technology Staff Sgt. Prince Allah Staff Sgt. David Ayvazyan Staff Sgt. Anthony Fletcher Medical Laboratory Technology Senior Airman Adrienne Antonios Mental Health Staff Sgt. Melissa Melton Metals Technology Senior Airman Ryan McCune Tech. Sgt. Robert Poll Munitions Systems Technology Staff Sgt. Jareon Bailey Senior Airman Christopher Farley Master Sgt. Nathan Gatlin Staff Sgt. Trevor Gillings Tech. Sgt. Chad Hardy Master Sgt. Cydric Harris Master Sgt. Donald Huff Senior Airman Natalie Huntington Tech. Sgt. Erik Marketto Staff Sgt. Kevin Morse Tech. Sgt. Scott Plocar Non-Destructive Testing Technology Staff Sgt. Lashalene Pittman Paralegal Staff Sgt. Natasha Crumpton Staff Sgt. Vanessa Pichon Physical Therapist Assistant Staff Sgt. Michelle Plastow Safety Tech. Sgt. Tanja Orwig Social Services Tech. Sgt. Wayne Foster Chief Master Sgt. Phillip Mack Master Sgt. Carlos Miramontes Transportation Senior Airman Andrew Howat Master Sgt. Thomas Johnson Tech. Sgt. William Lee Tech. Sgt. Ronnie Mayo Staff Sgt. Justin Smilo Vehicle Maintenance Tech. Sgt. Jonathan Wright