News

Team Dover celebrates its newest SNCOs

  • Published
  • By Roland Balik
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Two master sergeants and twenty-two technical sergeants were honored during the 2023 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Induction Ceremony held at the Hartly Volunteer Fire Company’s Memorial Hall, Hartly, Delaware, Aug. 25, 2023.

More than 130 commanders, first sergeants, supervisors and family members came out to see those being honored and inducted into the top tier of the enlisted force.

U.S. Air Force retired Chief Master Sgt. Michael Bellarose, was the guest speaker for the event and provided a motivating speech for all.

Col. Chris McDonald, 436th Airlift Wing commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Carolyn Russell, 436th AW command chief, recognized the following inductees:

Master Sgt. select Daniel Merilien, 373rd Training Squadron, Detachment 3
Master Sgt. Brian Kopco, 436th Healthcare Operations Squadron
Master Sgt. select Brittany Nowell, 436th AW Staff
Master Sgt. select Corey Nowell, 436th Aerial Port Squadron
Master Sgt. select Terissa Cribb, 436th APS
Master Sgt. select Travis Walden, 436th APS
Master Sgt. select Geoffrey Rowland, 436th APS
Master Sgt. select Sean Hopkins, 436th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
Master Sgt. select Jamaul Anderson, 436th Logistics Readiness Squadron
Master Sgt. select Tyler Barresi, 436th LRS
Master Sgt. Gregory Kollasch, 436th LRS
Master Sgt. select Andrew Maule, 436th LRS
Master Sgt. select Jared Webster, 436th Maintenance Squadron
Master Sgt. select Kyle Comer, 736th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
Master Sgt. select Derek Mindziak, 736th AMXS
Master Sgt. select Erin Winkler, 736th AMXS
Master Sgt. select Heather Truitt, 436th Civil Engineer Squadron
Master Sgt. select Alejandra Laguna, 436th Force Support Squadron
Master Sgt. select Markus Paugh, 436th AW Staff
Master Sgt. select Matthew Caudill, 436th Security Forces Squadron
Master Sgt. select Corbett Smith, 436th SFS
Master Sgt. select Derreck Day, 436th Operations Support Squadron
Master Sgt. select Gabriel Hernandez, 436th OSS
Master Sgt. select Jacob Jones, 436th OSS

In his closing remarks, McDonald congratulated the inductees and offered some guidance.

“You didn’t get here alone; thank those people who got you here and pay it forward,” said McDonald. “Mentor that next generation of Airmen because before you know it, they’ll be in your seat and you want to make sure they are as good as you are.”

In his last comment, he reflected on a discussion he and Russell had with the inductees during the SNCO Professional Development Course earlier in the week.

“You now have a foot in two camps, so continue to advocate for your Airmen and continue to be a microphone and megaphone for your senior leaders down to your Airmen,” said McDonald. “We really appreciate you guys being that bridge there, you play a very important role.”