The Air & Space Forces Association (AFA) has officially recognized its 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2025. The honorees were celebrated during the annual Air, Space & Cyber Conference for their significant contributions, superior performance, and dedication to service over the past year.
Established in 1956, the OAY program is a long-standing tradition designed to highlight the exceptional professionalism and achievements of the U.S. Air Force's enlisted members. The selection process considers job performance, leadership qualities, community engagement, and personal achievements.
Key Takeaways
- The Air & Space Forces Association named its 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2025.
- Honorees are selected based on leadership, job performance, community involvement, and personal achievement.
- The awards were presented at the 2025 Air, Space & Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Md.
- Recipients include personnel from various specialties, including finance, contracting, intelligence, and explosive ordnance disposal.
A Tradition of Excellence
The Outstanding Airmen of the Year program was created by the AFA to celebrate the enlisted force's best and brightest. Each year, a dozen individuals are chosen who exemplify the highest standards of the Air Force and Space Force. Their stories serve as an inspiration across the services.
“Each of these 12 Airmen embodies the best of our enlisted force — courage, innovation, and selfless dedication to service,” said Lt. Gen. Burt Field, USAF (Ret.), AFA President & CEO. “Their achievements reflect not only their individual excellence but also the strength and resilience of the Air Force and Space Force they represent.”
The general added that the AFA is proud to honor the recipients and share their stories with a wider audience. The 12 individuals are recognized in three distinct categories: Airman, Noncommissioned Officer (NCO), and Senior Noncommissioned Officer (SNCO).
Airman Category Honorees
The Airman category recognizes junior enlisted personnel who have demonstrated performance and potential far exceeding their rank.
Senior Airman Roman Bereguta
A Financial Accounting Technician with the 21st Comptroller Squadron at Peterson SFB, Colo., Bereguta managed responsibilities typically assigned to an E-6. He led a team that validated a $4.8 billion budget supporting 23 bases. His performance led to a Senior Airman Below-the-Zone promotion. During a 189-day deployment, his trilingual skills were critical in facilitating the transfer of $10 billion in U.S. weapons to Ukraine.
Senior Airman Amal Djezzar
As a Contract Specialist for the 99th Contracting Squadron at Nellis AFB, Nev., Djezzar stepped into a senior NCO role during a period of 50 percent manning. She executed 48 actions valued at $6 million, earning a Below-the-Zone promotion. While deployed for Operation Spartan Shield, she improved Saudi customs procedures, increasing bomber task force mission efficiency by 90 percent. She also managed a $245 million medical contract transition to the Defense Health Agency, affecting 12,000 personnel.
Senior Airman Eleanor R. Warren
Warren is a Geospatial Intelligence Analyst with the 192nd Intelligence Squadron at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. During a deployment to Japan, she supported 94 missions, producing 302 imagery reports. She developed a novel method for tracking vessels that violated UN sanctions against North Korea and translated Japanese military guides to improve interoperability with partner nations.
About the AFA
The Air & Space Forces Association is a non-profit organization founded in 1946. It advocates for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force and supports service members, veterans, and their families. With over 130,000 members worldwide, it is a major voice for air and space power in national defense.
Noncommissioned Officer Category Honorees
The NCO category honors staff and technical sergeants who provide critical leadership and technical expertise.
Staff Sergeant Matthew C. Sanders
Serving as the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Equipment NCOIC for the 19th Civil Engineering Squadron at Little Rock AFB, Ark., Sanders managed $15.2 million in equipment. During a 205-day deployment, his post-blast analysis following a fatal drone strike directly informed POTUS-directed retaliatory strikes on 86 high-value targets. He also cleared a 174-case backlog at an Army forensics lab, processing over 2,500 captured Iranian weapons.
Staff Sergeant Lucas K. Shappell
An EOD Journeyman with the 934th Civil Engineering Squadron at Minneapolis-St. Paul ARS, Minn., Shappell leveraged his prior Naval Warfare experience to train 11 personnel in advanced combat tactics. He provided crucial advice to Kosovo Security Forces during an unexploded ordnance incident, enhancing regional stability.
Technical Sergeant Jamie A. Gardner
As Retention Office Manager for the 190th Force Support Squadron at Forbes Field ANG Base, Kan., Gardner resolved a nine-month financial issue, recovering over $600,000 in payments. She designed a new training curriculum for 410 members, achieving a 95 percent completion rate and securing $160,000 in resources.
Technical Sergeant Selina Ortega
Ortega is a Master Military Training Instructor with the 433rd Training Squadron at JBSA-Lackland, Texas. She initiated the “Ask an MTI” program, which connected 64 instructors with trainees and is credited with reducing trainee attrition by 23 percent. Her efforts also improved the Master MTI certification process, leading to a 4 percent increase in certifications.
Technical Sergeant Brandon L. Vazquez
Vazquez serves as the Fuels Quality Compliance Section Chief with the 325th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Tyndall AFB, Fla. He improved his unit's fleet readiness from 32 to 86 percent in just one week. He also pioneered hot refueling operations with the 95th Fighter Squadron, which cut jet regeneration time by 75 percent. Notably, he became the first Airman to complete the U.S. Navy’s “Chief Season,” earning a Navy Chief designation.
Global Impact of Honorees
The work of the 2025 OAY recipients had a direct impact on global events, including supporting military aid to Ukraine, conducting counter-terrorism operations in the Middle East, and strengthening security partnerships in Europe and Asia.
Senior Noncommissioned Officer Category Honorees
The SNCO category celebrates master sergeants who serve as key leaders and mentors within their organizations.
Master Sergeant Ryan B. Girard
A Professional Military Education Instructor at Keesler AFB, Miss., Girard led an International Affairs team to the Middle East, where he delivered a mission command symposium to 32 allied nations. He also taught the first female-integrated PME course in the United Arab Emirates. As interim Senior Enlisted Leader, he helped shape a $52 million cyber range upgrade that will affect 27,000 students.
Master Sergeant Jurgen H. Kuse
As a Direct Accessions Manager at the Air Reserve Personnel Center, Buckley SFB, Colo., Kuse revamped training protocols, reducing on-the-job training time by 83 percent and helping to commission 1,700 officers. His efforts contributed to the Air Force Reserve Command reaching 101 percent of its end strength goal for the first time in two years.
Master Sergeant Aimee F. Pacas
Pacas, the Chief of Information Protection for the 110th Wing at Battle Creek ANG Base, Mich., led a successful childcare beta test that was later scaled across the Air National Guard. She also served as the Special Projects Officer for the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, managing a $10,000 budget and leading 46 volunteers during a major leadership transition.
Master Sergeant James B. Vetter, Jr.
An Action Officer at HQ Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill., Vetter spearheaded AMC’s counter-drone program. He fielded 24 systems that protect $300 billion in assets and one million personnel across nine combatant commands. He was instrumental in coordinating crisis response for the Israel-Hamas conflict, the U.S. withdrawal from Niger, and unrest in Haiti.