Arnold sergeant STEPs up Published March 14, 2007 By 030307 ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. -- A fuels specialist from Arnold Engineering Development Center was promoted to master sergeant through the Stripes for Exceptional Performers program. Commander of Air Force Materiel Command Gen. Bruce Carlson promoted William Whitt, 804th Maintenance Squadron, March 8. With a little less than three years at Arnold, Sergeant Witt volunteered for a 365-day deployment to Afghanistan. He is currently attending a two-month Transition Team Training course at Fort Riley, Kan., where he will hone a variety of individual force protection skills - "shoot, move and communicate," according to a Fort Riley public affairs representative. At Fort Riley, he will also receive a crash course in cultural awareness and language training to prepare him to teach and advise his Afghanistan Army counterparts on ways to accomplish their mission. Described as a combat warrior by his superiors, Sergeant Whitt doesn't sit in the sidelines. He also deployed to Pakistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and to Egypt for Operation Restore Hope. At home station, he manages the center's $4.2 million quarterly consumption of cryogenic, fuel and natural gas products. The 16-year veteran was also key in AEDC's receipt of $275,000 for fuel facilities renovations, and he submitted nine projects for $1.3 million in upgrades and repairs of fuel and cryogenics infrastructure. This NCO's list of accolades includes six awards in the past five years, including base NCO of the Quarter, NCO of the Year, and Fuels NCO of the Year three years running.