Grand Forks Airman named AMC's 2013 Air Traffic Controller of the Year

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Zachiah Roberson
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Senior Airman Lauren Hornbaker, 319th Operations Support Squadron air traffic controller journeyman, was recently named the 2013 Air Traffic Controller of the Year for Air Mobility Command.

Hornbaker's primary duties consist of safeguarding billions of dollars in Air Force assets through various methods of communication and alertness. She is responsible for maintaining a safe and expeditious travel environment to and from Grand Forks AFB, as well as controlling access to the flightline for ground vehicles.

A recent deployment to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, let the four-year veteran show her skills in a rigorous environment where she performed to such a high level that she was put up for AMC's ATC of the Year.

"I did a lot of work while I was there, and I can't really pick just one event that happened there to be the reason why I won the award, it's pretty much everything I did there and the people that helped me complete the mission," said Hornbaker.

Her award package detailed numerous accounts of her success and capabilities, but she can recall one time in particular she felt was very rewarding and rare.

"One thing that stands out in my mind is when I was given the opportunity to brief Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh, and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James Cody, on unmanned aircraft systems innovations on Grand Forks Air Force Base," said Hornbaker. "That isn't a regular occurrence at my rank, and I really enjoyed meeting them both."

Success in her mind doesn't just come with personal perseverance and hard work; she gives a large amount of credit to her previous supervisors who she said gave her the skills to do what she does every day.

"In the air traffic controller field, we have to be very cooperative and work very well together to complete the mission," she said. "I wouldn't know half as much as I do now without my supervisors. They are the reason I have been able to succeed in my career."

Hornbaker will now compete for the same honor at the Air Force level.