ARPC members win AF-level awards

by Lt. Col. Belinda Petersen
Air Reserve Personnel Center Public Affairs

3/24/2014 - BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services recently announced the 2013 award winners for the A1 community.

Two of the winners are from the Air Reserve Personnel Center:

Staff Sgt. Matthew Faini - Operational Level Force Support Reserve Component NCO of the Year

Tech. Sgt. Amy Burum - Operational Level Force Support NCO of the Year

As a contact center technician, Faini guaranteed one-stop shop for customers who called for a variety of personnel support including decorations and retirements. Because of his expertise, less than five percent of the calls he took were transferred to another representative. He was 75 percent complete with his Community College of the Air Force in Human Resource Management degree and won Physical Training Leader of the Quarter. Faini also spent hours volunteering for events at Buckley Air Force Base and in the community such as base gate duty, Memorial Day ceremonies, Colorado Freedom Memorial, and Aurora's Colfax Marathon.

As NCO in charge of promotion eligibility, Burum was responsible for auditing 20,000 records for 6 promotion boards with 100 percent accuracy. Even though her section was 50 percent undermanned, she fielded 24,000 promotion actions with a 99 percent satisfaction rate. As a result, she won NCO of the Quarter and was responsible for her section winning a team quarterly award. Burum earned a Community College of the Air Force in Human Resource Management and led a group discussion during Sexual Assault Prevention and Response stand-down day. As ARPC's Booster Club president, she led 240 volunteers and coordinated 12 morale events, raising 36,000 dollars.

"The competition was fierce, and it was a difficult decision across all of the categories," Lt. Gen. Samuel D. Cox stated in the announcement letter. "We appreciate the commanders and supervisors at all levels in taking the time and effort to nominate your people and programs, and thank you for your continued commitment to everyday excellence in serving our Total Force Airmen and their families."