Meet the stars: SJAFB annual award winners Published March 24, 2014 By Airman 1st Class Brittain Crolley 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Editor's note: This article highlights the 4th Fighter Wing Airmen annual award winners. The Field Grade Officer and Volunteer of the Year were unavailable for interviews due to deployment and permanent change of station requirements. Airman of the Year: Senior Airman William Harris, 4th Communications Squadron cyber operations technician "I think I stood out because I was put in a fantastic position to do so and was there at the right time. I was fortunate to be involved with some really great people in my squadron and my shop. They enabled me and gave me the opportunity to step out and lead." Harris joined the Air Force in August 2011 after deciding he wanted to do something more substantial with his life. Just shy of the age cutoff for enlisting, he signed his contract to become a cyber operations technician, a job he said he always wanted to do but the timing was never right. During the day, Harris said he stays focused solely on work and doing his job to the best of his abilities. After hours though, he is a dedicated family man who loves to spend time outdoors and listen to music. Despite his serious demeanor at work, he said most of his colleagues would be surprised at how goofy he can be. Harris credited his success to his family, both at home and on the job. His wife is his biggest supporter and motivator and his supervisors put him in positions to lead and succeed. His outstanding performance in his career field helped him earn Senior Airman Below the Zone. NCO of the Year: Staff Sgt. Samantha Dougherty, 4th Fighter Wing command chief executive assistant "I could make a long list of things I've done in the past year that would make me stand out, but all I really need to say is that I have lived by the Air Force core values. If you live by those three values, you are guaranteed success." Dougherty enlisted in the Air Force more than five years ago as a health services management technician. Despite her success in high school, she and her parents determined the military provided her the better future than attending college. This year, she was selected for a special duty assignment to assume the position of command chief executive assistant. She said it requires a great deal of professionalism, time management skills and flexibility, but she loves the challenge. Dougherty's ambitious nature - she wanted to be the first female president as a child - has propelled her to other accomplishments this year. She received her Community College of the Air Force degree and was also recognized as a distinguished graduate at Airman Leadership School. Outside of work, Dougherty said that family is everything to her and she is motivated to succeed through their support. She has a toddler that keeps her just as busy off the job as she is on. Senior NCO of the Year: Senior Master Sgt. Charles Cline, 4th Equipment Maintenance Squadron fabrication flight chief "My days are never dull. There are many different structural issues with aircraft, inspections that come up and plenty of work to be accomplished. I enjoy being challenged and this job provides ample opportunity for it." Cline enlisted in the Air Force more than 23 years ago in dedication and service to his country. As the fabrication flight chief, Cline is responsible for three maintenance sections and provides morale and welfare to 151 Airmen within the 4th EMS. Under his leadership, the 4th Maintenance Group completed a critical project, which required the inspection and repair of 60 aircraft, without delaying the group's flying schedule. Aside from his work accomplishments, Cline said he enjoys a successful marriage and spending time with his three children. This year, his eldest son was accepted into the Air Force to carry on the family tradition that began with him. As is the case with his son, Cline said it makes him feel old to see new Airmen join his squadron that were born after he entered the military. First Sergeant of the Year: Master Sgt. Jonathan Mundt, 4th Communications Squadron first sergeant "It bothers me to see someone grind through a day without laughing or joking with their peers. Yes, we are in a serious business with serious consequences, but we can have some serious fun while accomplishing the mission." Mundt initially joined the Air Force looking for direction; he didn't want to attend college or stay stuck with his high school job at a grocery store. He enlisted as an aircraft hydraulic systems mechanic, but has now made the transition to being the first sergeant of the 4th CS. Mundt helps Airmen in his squadron find direction by providing encouragement and boosting morale to ensure they accomplish the mission. He said promotion release dates are his favorite because he helps the commander recognize and announce Airmen's achievements that made the promotees worthy of the next level of responsibility. To relax after a hard day's work, Mundt said he enjoys spending time on the golf course. He also used his free time to finish his bachelor's degree in criminal justice this year, which he said he is greatly relieved to be finished with. Junior Civilian of the Year: Dana Furgeson, 333rd Fighter Squadron unit security manager "The way I approach my job is that it exists only to be an asset for the aircrew and other military members within my squadron. I don't care what the task is, my job is to allow those military members to focus on their primary mission without having to worry as much about other things." Furgeson retired from the Air Force in 2006 after 24 years of active duty service as an aircraft maintainer. He worked on every model of the F-15, from A to E, during his career and said he absolutely loves the multi-role fighter. Upon retirement, he was accepted as a civilian employee with the 333rd FS as the unit's security manager. Along with the duties his job entails, Furgeson also took on many other tasks within his squadron, including the facilities and vehicle manager. Regardless of his role, he said he is happy to just still be a part of the F-15 family. Although he was not interested in college when he opted to join the military, Furgeson spent his time earning his college diploma and graduating with highest honors. For him, it was a "once in a lifetime experience" because he was able to share the stage with his daughter, who had taken classes with him. Furgeson said his family's support fueled his academic success and hopes to provide the same encouragement to his son, who is currently on a Reserve Officers' Training Corps scholarship at North Carolina State University. Senior Civilian of the Year: David Nickell, 4th Operations Support Squadron unit deployment manager (UDM) "Performing as a UDM is a challenging, yet rewarding, job. Knowing that I play a key part in getting war fighters to the fight properly equipped and prepared to wage war is what makes this job so great." Nickell joined the Air Force as a munitions technician in 1975 after a friend of his came back from Basic Military Training and convinced him to enlist. His comrade got out at the end of his four year contract, but Nickell decided to reenlist. He continued to do so until he was no longer allowed to, reaching the 30-year mark and retiring as a chief master sergeant. His final assignment brought him to Seymour Johnson, where he decided to stay and was hired as a civilian employee - a UDM responsible for more than 500 Airmen. According to Nickell, the job is ever-changing and requires him to stay on his toes in order to keep up. He proved his capabilities when he contributed to the wing's overall "Excellent" rating during the Operational Readiness Inspection and successfully deployed 82 individuals with zero discrepancies during 2013. When he's not running around preparing Airmen for deployments, Nickell is running for his own leisure and enjoyment. He said he has been running for 32 years and has completed more than 30 marathons; including the 2013 Boston Marathon where he finished 4,304th out of 23,342 starters. He completed the race about an hour before the bombings occurred, an experience he said that will forever be etched in his mind. Field Grade Officer of the Year: Lt. Col. Jennifer Fujimoto, 4th Operations Support Squadron director of operations "The squadron had a lot of huge projects this year. The experts in the 4th OSS did amazing work to make all of them successful and overcame so many challenges. I am grateful to have been able to support, challenge and ultimately watch them succeed." Fujimoto commissioned in the Air Force more than 16 years ago to serve her country. As a teenager, she said she thought it would be a great adventure. According to her, it has been nothing short of amazing. As the DO for the 4th OSS, Fujimoto said there are always a lot of moving parts and pieces and it is her job to put those pieces together. In 2013, she had plenty of puzzles to work out. The squadron took on a number of large projects that provided an array of challenges along the way. The year saw a major runway overhaul, the moving of the radar approach control facility, as well as coordinating monthly Razor Talon exercises, which integrates land, air and sea forces from more than 10 instillations along the East Coast. Being a leader within the squadron keeps her busy and on her toes, but Fujimoto still finds time to enjoy her passion for running and spending time with her two children. She said keeping up with them takes just as much effort as work itself. Honor Guardsman of the Year: Senior Airman Joseph Barone, 4th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief "I have made a lot of friends through the Honor Guard and have great stories to tell. I also had the privilege of being there for families of fallen service members and escorting these heroes to their final resting place." Barone joined the Air Force four years ago as a crew chief for the F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft. He grew up as the son of a Airman and knew the opportunities the Air Force could provide him. Barone took full advantage of one of them, opting to join the base Honor Guard. The commitment required him to work as an active member for six months and also spend six months on standby, meaning he could be recalled if needed. During his active time, he traveled more than 10,000 miles across North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia conducting a variety of assignments. His duties included retirements, change of command ceremonies and more than 100 military funerals. In September, he was asked to train upcoming guardsmen, a role he said he was excited to take on. All members of the current group are one's he personally trained. Although taking on additional duties is demanding for him, he said his family is most important to him. This year, according to Barone, his son began walking and hasn't stopped since.