AEDC personnel honored at annual awards banquet

  • Published
  • By Janaé Daniels
  • AEDC/PA
Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn. --  More than 200 gathered for the Arnold Engineering Development Center 2008 Annual Awards Banquet held Feb. 27 at the Arnold Lakeside Club. 

The banquet recognized and rewarded the outstanding achievements of AEDC team members.

The event is a melding of military, civil service, non-appropriated fund and contractor recognition programs. 

AEDC Commander, Col. Art Huber, was appreciative of work not just by the award winners and nominees, but by all AEDC personnel - including the contractors and subcontractors. 

"We are the leading edge of science and technology because of you," Colonel Huber said. "You should be very proud of your accomplishments."

Dr. Doug Garrard, who received the Aerospace Testing Alliance engineer of the year, feels the award signifies the importance AEDC management places on keeping an eye looking towards the future in order to develop the needed ground test capabilities for upcoming technologies.

"I'm of course honored and proud to receive the award, but I'm also somewhat embarrassed by it being an individual award," Dr. Garrard said. "I know my work would not be recognized if the entire Aerodynamics and Propulsion Test Unit team had not done their jobs at a very high level of excellence. I get to work with a great bunch of people."

Paul Jalbert, who received the ATA Technical Project Leader award, feels this award leaves no doubt that he is working with a highly qualified team of colleagues.

"I am honored to have received an award for the successful completion of a challenging project and acknowledge the sustained effort of the team to resolve some very difficult problems," Jalbert said. "Despite the fact that the award winners at the banquet all work in different areas, I realized that the common denominator of the group is that we are all excited about the job we do. The awards are tangible feedback that our excitement is encouraged."

Jeannie McFaddin, who received the Department of Defense civilian of the year award in the administrative category, was excited, but humbled by the recognition.

"The people I work with and the customers I serve validate my job every day," McFaddin said. "They are the purpose of my work and the most important part of my job. At the end of every day, I hope I made a difference and/or impacted someone's life and leave feeling like I accomplished something worthwhile." 

Congressman Lincoln Davis, who serves the fourth congressional district in Tennessee, was encouraged by all the camaraderie and talent at the banquet. 

During his speech, he expressed how he appreciates the men and women in uniform here and throughout the entire military. 

"I have realized as I have traveled the country how blessed we are to be born Americans," the congressman said. "I know [the test work] they are doing here at Arnold Air Force Base is worth the money we are spending." 

The Congressman talked about when he first went into the war-ridden country of Iraq and how he felt as if the country could make it.

"When I saw Iraq for the first time, I felt as if they could make it," he continued. "Maybe a democracy will work. I left with a sense of honor and pride at what our men and women in uniform were doing over there." 

He then talked about his trip to Afghanistan and how he saw almost seven million Afghan refugees crammed in only a few refugee camps. 

"I saw people for the first time in my life with no hope; they seemed helpless," he explained. "After seeing this, I knew I had a unique blessing when I was born an American. 

My responsibility as congressman is to not look at things ideologically," he explained. "Realism is what this country is about." 

In his closing remarks, Congressman Davis expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the sacrifices that are made at a place like AEDC. 

"You truly are the ones who can make me safe," he said. "Thank you for giving us all the opportunity to live in the greatest country in the world."