Safety Office garners multiple Reserve Command awards

  • Published
  • By Jeremy Larlee
  • 512th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

The 512th Airlift Wing Safety Office earned five Air Force Reserve Command awards in 2022.

 The office collected the outstanding achievement in both occupational and weapons safety. The office also earned the awards for outstanding occupational safety civilian, outstanding weapons safety civilian and weapons safety noncommissioned officer of the year awards.

The winner of the 2022 AFRC Outstanding Weapons Safety Civilian award said the recognition is appreciated.

“It’s always nice to be rewarded for the hard work you have done to make things better,” said Carl Palmer, 512th AW weapons safety manager. “We take a lot of pride in assisting people to safely carry out the wing’s mission.”

A key facet in their success was solid communication and their ability to work with everybody on base said the 2022 AFRC Outstanding Occupational Safety Civilian of the Year.

“I go out on base and like that most people know me on a first name basis, said Alexis Lynn, 512th AW occupational safety manager. “We're not out here to write people up. We really do care and try to stay involved and see how we can help.”

The Liberty Eagle Readiness Exercise in July was a big event for the safety office. A concern for Lynn in the exercise was base personnel performing tasks they don’t normally do, she said. With the physical nature of the exercise, said she focused on proper risk management to minimize injuries.

“We have to plan for the mission,” she said.  “But, we have to do it safely.”

The exercise served as an opportunity to excel for the 2022 AFRC Outstanding Weapons Safety NCO of the Year Tech Sgt. Patricia Jackson.

Palmer said Jackson, who’s a NASA engineer in her civilian career, is very inquisitive, a trait valuable in the safety career field.

“She always knows the right things to ask,” he said. “She’s a very hard worker. She did an impressive job setting up a weapons safety program during the LERE.”

The safety office faced challenges throughout the year as well. There is currently no chief of safety and Lynn said sometimes that feels like trying to walk without a big toe. 

Palmer added while this is difficult, everybody in the office comes together to pick up the slack.

“We’re kind of self-sufficient,” he said. “We’re able to get around and do what we need to do.”

The office is collocated with the active-duty wing safety office. Lorie Bellamy, 436th AW occupational safety manager, said the base benefits from this, and she personally values her working relationship with her occupational safety peer Lynn.

“I think it works very well being located in the same office space, because we can work on projects and safety programs jointly and bounce ideas off one another,” said Bellamy. “Lynn is always willing to step up and help out whenever she can and her input is valued.”

Lynn, who is also a senior master sergeant air reserve technician, said she is very proud of the work her office does.

 “It’s very important to all of us that everybody performs the mission safely.,” she said. “We really enjoy being able to get out there and making that happen.”