319th Reconnaissance Wing recognizes superior performers Published Nov. 3, 2023 By Master Sgt. BreeAnn Sachs 319th Reconnaissance Wing GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The 319th Reconnaissance Wing held a recognition ceremony for Airmen supporting multiple large-scale events and distinguished visitor tours in the months of September and October, and superior performers identified in the Wing’s Unit Effectiveness Inspection capstone. Fifty-seven Airmen organized and enabled an Air Force ball, two Wing-wide all calls and the Year End Training Initiative, a base cleanup resulting in the removal of 151 tons of trash, simultaneous visits from the Chief of Space Operations and Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force and the relocation of the Wing headquarters building while preparing for a UEI. These events took place between Sept. 29 and Oct. 16, and were concurrent with the deployment of over 100 Airmen supporting Air Force Force Generation cycle 24.1. “This does not come easy, it does not come without time, and it does not come without a heart,” said U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Kathleen May, 319th Medical Group senior enlisted leader. “Thank you for giving a little extra piece of you during on your daily work and ensuring all of these things went off without a hitch. It’s a testament to who you are as airmen, ‘big A’ Airmen, and who we are as a team of Griffins.” The approximately 2,200 active duty Airmen of the 319th RW are referred to as ‘Griffins,’ a nod to the Wing’s mascot representing different aspects of the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance mission. Many of the Airmen at Grand Forks AFB are considered deployed-in-place as they support global operations in various Combatant Commands across the globe through the RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 40 mission. Additionally, the 319th Communications Squadron operates one of two High Frequency Global Communication System control sites that monitors communication signals globally. HFGCS signals transmit Emergency Action Messages and critical information for the entire Department of Defense, and senior leaders to include the President of the Untied States. “We now start to pivot our attention back to two very important things number one is global operations and number two is mission readiness,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Timothy Monroe, 319th RW commander. “There are a lot of critical things that are actively supporting operations in the Pacific theater and moreover actively supporting operations that you see unfolding in the middle east right now; those things are happening from this installation or from our geographically separated units.” Grand Forks AFB’s 319th Operations Group oversees the 348th Reconnaissance Squadron and approximately 200 permanent-party Airmen assigned to the 7th Reconnaissance Squadron at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy and the 4th Reconnaissance Squadron at Anderson Air Base, Guam or Yokota Air Base, Japan, depending on the time of year. The pilots and sensor operators of the 319th OG also deploy on rotation to the 7th RS and 4th RS to conduct launch and recovery operations before transferring control of the RQ-4 to 348th RS aircrew teams at Grand Forks AFB. The missions of the HFGCS and RQ-4 run 24-hours a day, seven days a week, rain or shine -- blizzard or clear skies. These missions wouldn’t be possible without the support personnel, many of which also operate around-the-clock, to provide base security; infrastructure; communications; medical care; morale, welfare and recreation and other essential functions. Monroe thanked the 57 Airmen who enabled both the 24-7 mission of Grand Forks AFB and the large-scale events tailored to bringing the Wing together, improving the morale and welfare of the base community and strengthening the base population’s social domain of resilience. “As we step into the holidays, we certainly have our heartfelt wishes for a happy holiday season, but I also need you to stay lockstep with one another. Focus on the things that matter, the things that keep us bound together and right now that’s to continue to project power from this installation and do right by our nation with the missions we’ve been entrusted with,” said Monroe. Congratulations to our UEI superior performers and the 57 Griffins who put forth extra time and energy in addition to supporting the diverse and essential missions of the 319th RW! Wing headquarters relocation and base-wide clean-up: Staff Sgt. Jonathan Weaver, 319th Logistics Readiness Squadron Senior Airman Arrick Rodgers, 319th LRS Senior Airman David Heykoop, 319th LRS Airman 1st Class Cloe McNicholas, 319th LRS Airman 1st Class Kiana Mary Luces, 319th LRS Airman 1st Class Declan Tighe, 319th LRS Airman Ryan Cimino, 319th LRS Wing All-Calls and Year End Training Initiative: Master Sgt. Jonathan Marshik, 319th Security Forces Squadron Tech. Sgt. Eric Kanning, 319th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Staff Sgt. Richard Coffman, 319th LRS Staff Sgt. Allison Whittle, 319th Reconnaissance Wing Senior Airman Tavi Efron, 319th RW Airman 1st Class Jadrien Thomas, 319th AMXS 76th Air Force Ball: Capt. Vaughn Pyne, 319th AMXS 2nd Lt. Carlos Leenen, 319th Medical Group 1st Lt. Dominic Angelo, 319th Civil Engineer Squadron Senior Master Sgt. Joshua Jacob, 319th AMXS Tech. Sgt. Lelani Puga, 319th MDG Tech. Sgt. Nadima Southworth, 319th MDG Tech. Sgt. Holly Carr, 319th Force Support Squadron Tech. Sgt. Yanette Mayorga, 319th MDG Tech. Sgt. Derrick Sherwood, 319th AMXS Tech. Sgt. Terrence Kitchen, 319th Communications Squadron Staff Sgt. Patrick Norindr, 319th MDG Senior Airman Samantha Duckett, 319th MDG Senior Airman Emangelyn Wilkins, 319th MDG Erica Claus-Numsali, 319th FSS Public Affairs: Senior Airman Roxanne Belovarac, 319th RW Airman 1st Class Raisa Christie, 319th RW Airman 1st Class Colin Perkins, 319th RW Airman 1st Class Anthony Nunez-Pellicer, 319th RW Chief of Space Operations and Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force visits: Lt. Col. David Hind, 319th RW Lt. Col. Susan Martin, A3 Maj. Matthew Cole, 319th SFS Capt. Jeff Powell, A5 Capt. Gerado Solano, 319th RW Master Sgt. BreeAnn Sachs, 319th RW Tech. Sgt. Tara Barnett, 319th Mission Support Group Tech. Sgt. Manuel Jordan, 319th RW Tech. Sgt. Megan Romo, 319th SFS Staff Sgt. Nicholas Hames, 319th RW Senior Airman Alberto Ornelas-Ibarra, 319th LRS Senior Airman Tyler Paas, 319th LRS Lea Greene, 319th RW Janet Nelson, 319th RW Susan Grollimund, 319th FSS Unit Effectiveness Inspection committee: Lt. Col. Tony Dorazio, 319th RW Maj. Steven Hargett, 348th Reconnaissance Squadron Capt. Scott Weiss, 319th CES Senior Master Sgt. Craig Clouatre, 319th RW Senior Master Sgt. Tabatha Lugo, 319th RW Master Sgt. John Paulo De Castro, 319th FSS Tech. Sgt. Zachary Stratton, 319th RW Robert Zafke, 319th RW Thomas Ruud, 319th RW Shawn Leach, 319th RW UEI superior performers from the 319th Operations Group: Maj. Stephen Hargett Capt. Christopher Ingram Capt. Matthew Swindler 1st Lt. Amber Estes Master Sgt. Anthony De La Cruz Tech. Sgt. David Pankonen Tech. Sgt. Moana Waqa Staff Sgt. Robert LaFlamme Staff Sgt. Riley McAuliffe Staff Sgt. Joshua Paul Airman 1st Class Rahman Thompson UEI superior performers from the 319th MSG: Capt. Scott Weiss Master Sgt. John Paolo De Castro Master Sgt. Patrick Van Winkle Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Cameron Staff Sgt. Zachariah Ricker Staff Sgt. Ciarra Robinson Staff Sgt. Jordyn Rodriguez Staff Sgt. Eric Steidle Senior Airman Patrick Corcoran Senior Airman Tavi Effron Senior Airman Luke Gibson Senior Airman Monette Isampayu Senior Airman Edward Jones Senior Airman Roger Kusiamponsah Senior Airman Aaron Lemay Senior Airman Terence Phillips III Senior Airman Shane Porter Senior Airman George Price Senior Airman Arrick Rogers Senior Airman Zachary Vanoss Senior Airman Ian Wathen Senior Airman Brady Westerhouse Airman 1st Class Everzon Ermitanio Airman 1st Class Keifer Gogo Airman 1st Class Tylor Hazel Airman 1st Class Alexander Koch Airman 1st Class Payton Gooden Airman 1st Class Amadou Ly Airman 1st Class Daniel Munn Airman 1st Class Paolo Nassetta Airman 1st Class Logan Rud Airman 1st Class Luis Torres Airman 1st Class Kristopher Verastegui Airman 1st Class David Young Jr. Airman Andrew Cocova Airman Jayden Delpesche Airman Ryan Eberhardt Airman Tyrell Phillips Airman Quentin Racheu Master Sgt. Jonathan Marshik Master Sgt. Brandon McKinney Tech. Sgt. Andrew Gaca Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Gepford Tech. Sgt. Ryan Peterson Tech. Sgt. Tyler Prete Staff Sgt. Louis Cliffton Staff Sgt. Brooke Himer Staff Sgt. Marcus McCormick Staff Sgt. Erick Santillan Senior Airman Flor Lynn Allado Senior Airman George Faison Senior Airman Jerry Hunter Senior Airman Joey Pierre Airman 1st Class Juan Lopez Sanchez Airman 1st Class Jairo Morales Jeri Anderson Jhanica De Castro Kelly Painter Stacey Pietron David Schultheis Bryan Williams UEI superior performers from the Wing Staff Agencies: Lt. Col. Anthony Dorazio Kevin Blumhagen David Faber UEI superior performance teams: 319th Operations Group Inspector General Office Wing Cybersecurity Team Force Management Team Manpower & Organization Office Security Forces K-9 Kennels Section Security Forces Combat Arms Training and Maintenance Section Unaccompanied Housing Team