Eighth Air Force headquarters announces its annual award winners Published Feb. 25, 2011 By Staff Sgt. Brian Stives Eighth Air Force Public Affairs BOSSIER CITY, La. -- The Eighth Air Force Headquarters announced its annual award winners for 2010. The awards recognize Airmen and civilians in the headquarters who have excelled at their work and have made outstanding contributions to the local community over the past year. Below is the list of the awards and winners. Airman of the Year Senior Airman Crystal Randolph, Headquarters Eighth Air Force Noncommissioned Officer of the Year Tech. Sgt. Michael Busha, 608th Air and Space Operations Center Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year Senior Master Sgt. Liza Wilder, 608th Strategic Operations Squadron First Sergeant of the Year Master Sgt. Merrill Burrows, Headquarters Eighth Air Force Company Grade Officer of the Year Capt. Olivia Hardy, 608th Air and Space Operations Center Civilian Category I Pamela Hodges, Headquarters Eighth Air Force Civilian Category II John Garrett, Headquarters Eighth Air Force The 28 finalists who represent the best of the best in the 'Mighty Eighth' will be recognize during the Eighth Air Force's Outstanding Airmen of the Year banquet held at the Eldorado Resort and Casino in Shreveport, La., March 3 at 6 p.m. During the banquet, one Airman from each of seven categories - Airman, NCO, Senior NCO, Company Grade Officer, First Sergeant, Civilian Category I and Civilian Category II - will be chosen to represent Eighth Air Force during the Air Force Global Strike Command 12 Outstanding Airmen Competition. The complete list of nominees are: Airman of the Year: Senior Airman Marthinus Taljaard, 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale AFB, La. Airman 1st Class Desiree Flynn, 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, N.D. Senior Airman Crystal Randolph, Eighth Air Force Airman 1st Class Jonathan Kuhlman, 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo. Noncommissioned Officer of the Year: Staff Sgt. Kelley Kessler, 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale AFB, La. Tech. Sgt. Bradley Williams, 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, N.D. Tech. Sgt. Michael Busha, Eighth Air Force Tech. Sgt. Travis Fetterer, 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo. Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year: Senior Master Sgt. Todd Krulcik, 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale AFB, La. Master Sgt. Robert Dalton Jr., 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, N.D. Senior Master Sgt. Liza Wilder, Eighth Air Force SMSgt Michael Menard, 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo. First Sergeant of the Year: Senior Master Sgt. Derrick Grames, 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale AFB, La. Master Sgt. Gloria Lennon, 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, N.D. Master Sgt. Merrill Burrows, Eighth Air Force Master Sgt. Steven Kish, 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo. Company Grade Officer of the Year: Capt. Michael S. Pontius, 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale AFB, La. Capt. David Scott, 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, N.D. Capt. Olivia Hardy, Eighth Air Force Capt. Wilburn Poe Jr., 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo. Civilian Category I: Terri Campbell, 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale AFB, La. Laurie Harvey, 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, N.D. Pamela Hodges, Eighth Air Force Rebecca Smith, 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo. Civilian Category II: Richard Knowles, 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale AFB, La. Dan Lewis, 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, N.D. John Garrett, Eighth Air Force Jerry Blaisdell, 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo.