MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- The 2023 annual awards ceremony for Team Moody took place Feb. 16, 2024, to recognize the top military and civilian performers from the 23rd Wing and 93rd Air Ground Operations Wing.
For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 100 Airmen and teammates gathered in-person to attend the event and congratulate award recipients on their accomplishments and superior performance throughout all of 2023.
“The competition was fierce this year,” said Col. Paul Sheets, 23rd WG commander. “If you look around the room, you're only seeing a small sample of what our Flying Tiger and Spartan team accomplished. I'll attribute these successes to the fact that we know who we are and what is required of us to meet the needs of the future fight.”
The theme for the event was the history of Moody Air Force Base, which includes a span of historic events leading all the way up to 2023 – to include the sacrifices the awards winners and nominees endured to continue the missions sets of both wings at Moody.
“We're the legendary Flying Tigers and Spartans, and we all know how we contribute to the mission,” said Chief Master Sgt. Williiam Nabakowski, acting 23rd WG command chief. “These Airmen gave it their all — no matter the circumstance, deployments, exercises or inspections — advancing change and optimization, refining the vision of our Air Force senior leaders, and setting the standard of how agile combat employment and expeditionary air base operations will be defined across the force.”
Earning an annual award is a high honor for an Airman that is designed to publicly show appreciation for their work and value for their achievements.
“As we reflect on your accomplishments in 2023, let's carry that momentum forward,” Sheets said. “Remember that what you do here echoes in missions far beyond our immediate surroundings. Your dedication will propel us forward, ensuring that we continue to be the greatest Air and Space Force in the world.”
Team Moody’s annual award winners will now compete against other winners from the different wings across 15th Air Force followed by Air Combat Command with the highest level of being recognized as one of the Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year.
The winners from the 23rd WG and the 93rd AGOW are:
23rd WG
Airman – Senior Airman Wyatt MacNeil
Noncommissioned Officer – Tech. Sgt. Guadalupe Corona
Senior Noncommissioned Officer—Senior Master Sgt. Jacoby Madden
Company Grade Officer – Capt. Devin Scott
Field Grade Officer – Maj. Christopher Valencia
Civilian Category I – Heather Patrick
Civilian Category II – Michael Weidner
Civilian Category III – John Brinkley
First Sergeant – Master Sgt. Russell Camiolo
Honor Guardsman – Senior Airman Erica Carias-Rodriguez
Volunteer – Staff Sgt. Afua Owiredu-Gyamera
Key Spouse – Callie Kryder
Team of the Year – 41st Rescue Generation Squadron Production
Parker Greene – Senior Airman Maria Shank
93rd AGOW
Airman – Airman 1st Class Megan Oldham
Noncommissioned Officer – Tech. Sgt. John Cruikshank
Senior Noncommissioned Officer- Master Sgt. Antonio Hill
Company Grade Officer – Capt. Olivia Lawson
Field Grade Officer – Maj. Gerald Mongomery
Flight Commander – Capt. Matthew Gilstad
Civilian Category I - Hovaness Oganesyan
Civilian Category II - Marcus Smith
Civilian Category III - Jovanna Gaines
Team of the Year – 18th Air Support Operations Group Bravo Team