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AFRICOM Honors Winners at 2014 Annual Awards Ceremony

Award winners pose for a group photo after receiving their awards at the AFRICOM 2014 Annual Awards Ceremony held May 8, 2015. The awards ceremony celebrated the outstanding service and achievements of all nominees over the course of 2014. (Photo by Adam Sanders, Visual Information Specialist, Training Support Center - Stuttgart)

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U.S. Africa Command recognized the outstanding work of its military and civilian personnel at the 2014 Annual Awards event held at Kelley Barracks May 8.

Leaders recognized winners of annual awards in the enlisted, senior enlisted, company grade officer, field grade officer, civilian, and the interagency categories.

Army Gen. David M. Rodriguez, commander, along with Command Sgt. Maj. Darrin Bohn, senior enlisted leader, and Ambassador Phillip Carter, deputy to the commander for civil-military engagement, presented the awards.

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ibetty Alache, an administrative noncommissioned officer with the AFRICOM commandant's office, spent three months on the team that planned the event.

"We do this to show the members we appreciate what they're doing for AFRICOM," Alache said. "A lot of people showed up and cheered for their coworkers."

The winners received either a Joint Service Achievement Medal or a Joint Civilian Service Achievement Award, and a time off award. 

2014 annual award winners

• Enlisted Member of the Year:   Staff Sgt. Heather D. Buchwalder                          
• Senior Enlisted Member of the Year: Master Sgt. Kaden B. Brooks             
• Company Grade Officer of the Year: Capt. Curtis J. Schwarz            
• Field Grade Officer of the Year:  Maj. Vrettos W. Notaras
• Civilian CAT I: Yoan A. Alonso
• Civilian CAT II: Susan P. Kellett-Forsyth                        
• Civilian CAT III:  Melissa L. Jordan
• Interagency: Brian T. Johnson

The command also recognized each directorate for their contributions to the 2014 Combined Federal Campaign which saw AFRICOM headquarters raising over $112,000 for CFC-Overseas charity organizations.