Chief recognized as one of USAF's top airfield managers

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Benjamin Wilson
  • 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany --  Chief Master Sgt. Stacey Tuckwell, 52nd Operations Support Squadron airfield manager, was recently recognized by the American Association of Airport Executives for being awarded the 2008 U.S. Air Force Airfield Manager of the Year Award.

A plaque was presented to Chief Tuckwell during the AAAE's 81st Annual Conference and Exposition, held June 14-17 in Philadelphia, and was the first time the military relations committee has recognized a military award recipient.

"Through her honorable service to our country, (Chief) Tuckwell has consistently demonstrated the characteristics of a world-class airfield manager," said AAAE Senior Executive Vice President Spencer Dickerson, in an AAAE press release. "We are honored to present the first Air Force Airfield Manager of the Year Award to such a deserving candidate."

In addition to recently pinning on chief master sergeant, Chief Tuckwell's accomplishments as an airfield manager include coordinating and executing 19 airfield construction and lighting projects with a combined value of $117 million, and overseeing and managing an airfield drivers' training program with 5,000 participants, reducing runway and controlled-movement-area incursion by 60 percent.

"I was very happy, but also shocked, when I found out I had won the award," Chief Tuckwell said. "It is a huge team effort of all the outside agencies to keep the airfield safe and running. I happen to be the one who gets recognized because of my career field."

Chief Master Sgt. Robert Popp, Headquarters Air Force airfield management career field manager, presented Chief Tuckwell with the Air Force Air Field Manager of the Year Award July 27 during a U.S. Air Forces in Europe workshop.

"It was both a proud and historical moment for the career field and for (Chief) Stacey Tuckwell when she was presented the AAAE Board of Director's Achievement Award recognizing her selection as the Air Force's 2008 Airfield Manager of the Year," Chief Popp said.

"Annual recognition of our Air Force-level airfield manager award winners is an ongoing goal of the AAAE Military Relations Committee, and we are continuing to strengthen our relationship to ensure AAAE's wide variety of professional development courses and programs remain available to us. In the future we hope to expand the AAAE recognition program to include all of our airfield manager award categories," he said.