Grand Forks AFB Airman named AMC's 2012 LRS Material Management Senior NCO of the Year

by Airman 1st Class Zachiah Roberson
319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

4/11/2013 - GRAND FORKS AFB, N.D. -- Senior Master Sgt. Christopher Howard, 319th Logistics Readiness Squadron acting superintendent, was recently named the 2012 LRS Material Management Senior NCO of the Year for Air Mobility Command.

Howard's main duties entail advising his commander on material management policies and procedures, overseeing personnel career broadening opportunities, managing the squadron awards program, coordinating with six base agencies to aid squadron members with career opportunities such as retraining, and working with the Career Job Reservation program to ensure an effective utilization of manpower.

Working these tasks daily were not Howard's only notable traits in winning this award.

"The majority of the bullets (notable performance achievements) for my award came from my last deployment," said Howard. "This deployment was a joint assignment as part of NATO Training Mission Afghanistan and Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan while assigned to Regional Support Command which operated out of Kabul, Afghanistan."

Deployed from February to July 2012, his team advised 724 military and civilian Afghanistan National Army personnel who supplied forces across Afghanistan with more than $2 billion in clothing, weapons and vehicle repair assets.

Howard is quick to attribute his success to those behind scenes who helped him along the way.

"As with all awards there are a lot of other folks that have dedicated many hours supporting me to help make the mission happen," he said. "The 319th Logistics Readiness Squadron is no different. LRS personnel make the mission happen every day, silently leading the Wing. Whether they are ensuring your household goods get packed, or refueling the Global Hawk on the ramp or even providing maintenance on your government-owned vehicle, LRS makes it happen."

With 20 years of service, Howard is no stranger to receiving awards; some of his previous honors include the 319th LRS Lance P. Sijan award in 2013; and a senior NCO award for the 341st Operations Group in 2008.

With this award fresh under his belt, Howard will move on to compete at the Air Force level.