Air Force Achievement Medal
I was awarded the Air Force Achievement Medal today by Col James Painter.
Citation:
DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT
THE AIR FORCE ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL
HAS BEEN AWARDED TO
SECOND LIEUTENANT DEWITT T. LATIMER IV
FOR
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT
8 APRIL 2003 TO 8 APRIL 2004
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Second Lieutenant DeWitt T. Latimer IV distinguished himself by outstanding achievement as a member of the Los Angeles Air Force Base Honor Guard, 61st Air Base Group, Space and Missile Systems Center, Air Force Space Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. He displayed superb initiative and dedication to duty, which aided immeasurably in 139 hours of laudatory Honor Guard performances for military honors and ceremonies, military funerals and memorial services, and civilian programs and parades in Southern California. Lieutenant Latimer demonstrated expert leadership in involving the Los Angeles Air Force Base Honor Guard in the 2004 Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Drill Competition. Further, he contributed as a member of the Los Angeles Air Force Base contingent that was awarded second place overall at the Air Force Space Command Annual Honor Guard Competition. In addition, Lieutenant Latimer led the Blue Eagles Honor Guard during military funeral and memorial honors, earning praise from the families of deceased Air Force veterans and retirees. The distinctive accomplishments of Lieutenant Latimer reflect credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
GIVEN UNDER MY HAND
18 FEBRUARY 2005
//SIGNED//
JOSEPH M. CODISPOTI, Colonel, USAF
Commander, 61st Air Base Group
About the Air Force Achievement Medal (AFAM):
Established by the Secretary of the Air Force on Oct. 20, 1980. The AFAM is awarded to Air Force personnel for outstanding achievement or meritorious service rendered specifically on behalf of the Air Force.
My thoughts on this award:
Overall the AFAM is an award for having actually done something. Interestingly enough, this is for my additional duty in the Honor Guard, and not for my primary job. Normally primary job achievements are recorded and saved for an end of tour medal - the more achievements, the higher the medal that will be awarded when I (or any airman moves). Between this award and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (posted a while ago), I've been mostly recognized officially for my non-primary duty. I'm not sure about the message this sends. For what I did - many of those hours were off-duty; even when on-duty, I ended up working late to catch up for work missed during the performance. This is the situation for everyone on the team. Although there is no official criteria, our rule-of-thumb of 100 hours during a period of at least 12 months of service is one of the most stringent of the all the Honor Guards I talked with in Air Force Space Command, Air Mobility Command, or Air Combat Command. Of course, I have rejected applications from my flight commanders for people who have done 100 hours and endorsed to some with less than 100 hours who showed great initiative (based on the balance of life and duty section constraints - some people have more time than others).
The medal was delayed in being signed/awarded because the previous officer in charge of the Honor Guard was behind on medals. When I took over, I took care of doing everyone else's medals first. Once I was caught up (back in Feb 2005), I finally wrote and submitted my own (after getting signatures from the previous Honor Guard Management, Flight Commander, Capt Vivian McFeeters, to certify the acts). We initially wanted to present the medal at my promotion, but the paperwork didn't make it in time. Hence, the award was saved until the next group award session. Note also that the rank in the award is for the rank held at the end date of the award period (April 2004), not the rank at the date of award or signing.
Citation:
DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT
THE AIR FORCE ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL
HAS BEEN AWARDED TO
SECOND LIEUTENANT DEWITT T. LATIMER IV
FOR
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT
8 APRIL 2003 TO 8 APRIL 2004
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Second Lieutenant DeWitt T. Latimer IV distinguished himself by outstanding achievement as a member of the Los Angeles Air Force Base Honor Guard, 61st Air Base Group, Space and Missile Systems Center, Air Force Space Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. He displayed superb initiative and dedication to duty, which aided immeasurably in 139 hours of laudatory Honor Guard performances for military honors and ceremonies, military funerals and memorial services, and civilian programs and parades in Southern California. Lieutenant Latimer demonstrated expert leadership in involving the Los Angeles Air Force Base Honor Guard in the 2004 Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Drill Competition. Further, he contributed as a member of the Los Angeles Air Force Base contingent that was awarded second place overall at the Air Force Space Command Annual Honor Guard Competition. In addition, Lieutenant Latimer led the Blue Eagles Honor Guard during military funeral and memorial honors, earning praise from the families of deceased Air Force veterans and retirees. The distinctive accomplishments of Lieutenant Latimer reflect credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
GIVEN UNDER MY HAND
18 FEBRUARY 2005
//SIGNED//
JOSEPH M. CODISPOTI, Colonel, USAF
Commander, 61st Air Base Group
About the Air Force Achievement Medal (AFAM):
Established by the Secretary of the Air Force on Oct. 20, 1980. The AFAM is awarded to Air Force personnel for outstanding achievement or meritorious service rendered specifically on behalf of the Air Force.
My thoughts on this award:
Overall the AFAM is an award for having actually done something. Interestingly enough, this is for my additional duty in the Honor Guard, and not for my primary job. Normally primary job achievements are recorded and saved for an end of tour medal - the more achievements, the higher the medal that will be awarded when I (or any airman moves). Between this award and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (posted a while ago), I've been mostly recognized officially for my non-primary duty. I'm not sure about the message this sends. For what I did - many of those hours were off-duty; even when on-duty, I ended up working late to catch up for work missed during the performance. This is the situation for everyone on the team. Although there is no official criteria, our rule-of-thumb of 100 hours during a period of at least 12 months of service is one of the most stringent of the all the Honor Guards I talked with in Air Force Space Command, Air Mobility Command, or Air Combat Command. Of course, I have rejected applications from my flight commanders for people who have done 100 hours and endorsed to some with less than 100 hours who showed great initiative (based on the balance of life and duty section constraints - some people have more time than others).
The medal was delayed in being signed/awarded because the previous officer in charge of the Honor Guard was behind on medals. When I took over, I took care of doing everyone else's medals first. Once I was caught up (back in Feb 2005), I finally wrote and submitted my own (after getting signatures from the previous Honor Guard Management, Flight Commander, Capt Vivian McFeeters, to certify the acts). We initially wanted to present the medal at my promotion, but the paperwork didn't make it in time. Hence, the award was saved until the next group award session. Note also that the rank in the award is for the rank held at the end date of the award period (April 2004), not the rank at the date of award or signing.