Wednesday, April 11, 2001

By David Josar, Stars and Stripes

Senior Airman Joseph E. Joslin	Tech Sgt. John A. Maldonado II
Senior Master Sgt. James M. Petree	Senior Master Sgt. Michael J. Warner

U.S. Air Forces Europe has announced its top airmen of the year, and they will compete against peers from other commands to be named best airmen in the Air Force later this year.

"It’s a tough competition, so to be selected is truly overwhelming," said Senior Master Sgt. Michael J. Warner, winner of the USAFE first sergeant of the year award. "You have to be a good first sergeant in your wing and your community," added Warner, first sergeant for the 37th Airlift Squadron, 86th Operations Group of the 86th Airlift Wing at Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany.

Other winners announced Saturday were:

• Tech Sgt. John A. Maldonado II, chief, ground radio maintenance, 603rd Air Control Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy, Junior NCO of the Year.
• Senior Master Sgt. James M. Petree, superintendent, explosive ordnance disposal flight, 39th Civil Engineering Squadron, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, Senior NCO of the Year.
• Senior Airman Joseph E. Joslin, desk sergeant, USAFE Special Security Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Airman of the Year.

The four were chosen from 12 nominees representing the 3rd Air Force, 16th Air Force and the USAFE Headquarters staff. They now advance to the Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year and First Sergeant of the Year competitions. The winners will be announced in September at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

"I just felt very lucky," Petree said. "After meeting the other two [senior NCO finalists] they were very sharp, so I felt very lucky to win."

Joslin, who has been in the Air Force just two years, said he was "very surprised" when he received the award at a ceremony at the Officers’ Club at Ramstein.

"I’m not sure why I was selected. I do the job to the best of my ability and I volunteer, too," he said.

Maldonado said his award came as a "total shock."

"I just spent a week with 12 outstanding folks from USAFE and the last thing is you expect to win," he said. "It’s really humbling, but it’s everyone I worked with who made this happen."

Warner was born in Denver and graduated from Westminster High School in 1985. His military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, with one oak leaf cluster, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Air Force Good Conduct Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Military Outstanding Service Medal.

Maldonado was born in the Bronx, N.Y. He joined the Puerto Rico Air National Guard in 1984 and entered active duty in 1989 as a ground radio maintenance technician. His military decorations include the Air Force Commendation Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters, Air Force Good Conduct Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal with bronze star and the NATO Medal.

Petree was born in Canadian, Texas, in 1961. His military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters; the Air Force Commendation Medal; the Air Force Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters; the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; the Humanitarian Service Medal; the Defense Service Medal; and the Southwest Asia Service Medal.

Joslin was born in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and graduated from Rondout Valley High School in 1996. In February 1999, after graduating from basic military training, his first assignment was to Thule Air Base, Greenland.

In May 2000, he was reassigned to Ramstein. His military decorations include the Air Force Achievement Medal and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.

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