Page 5 - Desert Lightning News So. AZ Edition, June 2 2017

Desert Lightning News June 2, 2017 5 www.aerotechnews.com/davis-monthanafb
(from Page 4)
SSgt STEP above the rest
SUPPOrT
by Airman 1st Class NAThAN BARBouR
355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Staff Sgt. Rachel Merriman, 355th Equipment Main- tenance Squadron nondestructive inspection craftsman, was recently promoted to the rank of technical sergeant, but she didn’t receive her stripe in the usual fashion.
Merriman was hand-selected by her leadership to be promoted through the Stripes for Exceptional Perform- ers program.
She promoted on April 18, just two days after giving birth to a baby boy. The same day, the base commander called her to give her the good news.
“I really wanted to scream, but in that moment, my son was laying in my arms and he had just fallen asleep,” Mer- riman said. “I guess you could say, inside, I was screaming.”
STEP promotions are awarded to a small group of individuals who display a certain set of attributes.
“You need a strong leader who is able to balance disci- pline, enforce standards, as well as make the workplace an enjoyable one,” said Master Sgt. Diana Dunn, 355th EMS nondestructive inspection section chief. “You also want someone who is willing to work just as hard as the lowest ranking Airman regardless of how high in rank they are. Tech. Sgt. Merriman is all of those things.”
Merriman had been excelling as NCO in-charge of her shop, but faced some adversity in obtaining rank.
“In my mind she already was a technical sergeant,” Dunn said. “She just needed the stripe to go along with it. She has been one of the strongest NCOs I have known, and she knows the ins and outs of her job, and can train others to be the same.”
Courtesy photo
Tech. Sgt. Rachel Merriman, 355th Equip- ment Maintenance Squadron nondestructive inspection craftsman, receives a promotion certificate April 19 at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Merriman was hand-selected by her leadership to be promoteT:d9.5t”hrough the Stripes for Exceptional Performers program.
multiple theaters while enabling the acceleration of PDMs and aircraft upgrades to continue ahead of schedule,” he said.
Ferguson described the utilities of AFSOC platforms. The MC- 130H Combat Talon II has a mission for delivering operators where they need to be, to keep them supplied with what they require and at times, access denied areas. They also have the capability for low- terrain penetration beyond the average and get the goods delivered and extracted when needed.
He explained that these aircraft also refuel rotary wing platforms and must perform in all-weather conditions. For many years, the 130H Combat Talon II has been the platform of choice when extracting folks in harm’s way.
“You all talked a lot today about your customer and how you are ag- gressively working to deliver the product to me and other warfighters,” the general said. “Well at AFSOC we like to say we have this product, we call it lethality. We’ve got a customer and that customer is those who would choose to do harm to our nation, the enemy. “Because of you we don’t have any problem with delivering our product to any customer anywhere at any time across the globe.”
“As the Air Force leverages each of our capabilities, experience and skills know that what you all are doing here is so critical and what each of you represent is a real Air Force treasure.”
After taxiing into AMARG and shutting down its engines, the MC- 130H and crew opened its doors to employees for a tour of the platform. “We were hoping that the visiting Combat Talon II was sporting the new wings we had worked on, but as it turns out, the wings it flew in on will be our eighth set,” said David Lang, C-130 Outer Wing
Production lead for the team performing the wing refurbishments. According to Lang, they have 10 wing sets scheduled and are cur-
rently working sets five and six.
Appreciating the opportunity to partner with Robins AFB in sup-
port of the AFSOC’s warfighter, Lang was impressed that the work his team is performing is achieving such visibility by the customer.
“It was great hearing from General Ferguson and listening to the visiting aircrew’s mission. Very cool recognition for all of us that work here,” said Lang.
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