The Air Force has announced the winners of the 2012 Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award, according to a Jan. 17 release from the Air Force Personnel Center. They are: Lt. Col. Nathan Green, assigned to Hurlburt Field, Fla., senior officer category; Capt. Blake Luttrell, Pope Field, N.C., junior officer category; SMSgt. Davide Keaton, Hurlburt, senior enlisted category; and TSgt. Tavis Delaney, Washington Air National Guard, junior enlisted category. The Sijan Award is bestowed annually to recognize airmen who demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities while assigned to an organization at the wing level and below. The award carries the name of the first Air Force Academy graduate to receive the Medal of Honor. (See also our coverage of the 2011 Sijan Award winners.) (To learn more on Sijan, see The Courage of Lance Sijan from Air Force Magazine’s archives.)
Airmen basic rarely go on to become four-star generals, but one who did retired last week after a 42 year career that saw him rise from a lowly slick-sleeve to the head of one of the Air Force’s most important major commands.