As a way of honoring those who consistently serve the 179th Airlift Wing and the surrounding community, the 179th Airlift Wing held its annual Airman of the Year Banquet on Saturday evening at the R&L Banquet Center in Mansfield.
Those awarded with the distinguished title of “Airman of the Year” included Senior Airman Jordyn Discenzo, Master Sgt. Todd Ashcroft, Master Sgt. Dennis Folk, and Capt. Ryan McMaster.
The Airman of the Year award includes four categories of awards: “Airman of the Year of all Junior Enlisted,” “Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year,” “Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year,” and “Company Grade Officer of the Year.” Discenzo won the Airman of the Year of all Junior Enlisted, Ashcroft won the Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year, Folk won the Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year, and McMaster won the Company Grade Officer of the Year.
“I think that everybody who got awarded deserved it,” stated Airman 1st Class Fernando Rosales. “That’s why they were recognized.” He added that the award recipients work hard to positively impact not just the airlift wing but also the community.
The recipients’ dedication to the base and community is indicated in their bios. For instance, Capt. Ryan McMaster is currently leading the effort in standing up the Commanders Inspection Program for the Wing, serving as the director of the newly mandated Air Force Inspection System.
In 1997, McMaster enlisted with the 179th Airlift Wing and began his 16-year journey with the Air National Guard. As an enlisted member and Aircrew Flight Equipment Technician, he was considered an expert in the career field, receiving two Air Force Achievement Medals and one Air Force Commendation Medal while participating in multiple operations and training events to include Operation Southern Watch, Joint Forge, Coronet Oak, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
In 2007, Capt. McMaster returned to the 179th Airlift Wing as a full time technician and in 2009 was selected as an Intelligence Officer. Since his commission in 2010, Capt. McMaster has served in four very unique roles. In mid-2011 to early 2012, he directed the Intelligence efforts that prepared and executed the ANG’s inaugural and unprecedented C-27J deployment by the 179th Airlift Wing.
Later in 2012, Capt. McMaster served with the Ohio National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, supporting the Akron Summit County Drug Task Force and providing critical case analysis and tactical intelligence products directly contributing to counter narcotics operations in the State of Ohio. In 2013, he served as the 179th Airlift Wing’s Antiterrorism Officer, contributing to the security and safety of the facility and members of the unit. In 2014, he was selected by Wing leadership to establish a new inspection arm of the Inspector General’s office. He now serves as the Commanders Inspection Program Director.
Most recently, Capt. McMaster significantly contributed to the Wing’s Strategic Plan, helping craft the vision, values, and goals of the unit, ensuring the members of the 179th Airlift Wing know the expectations of leadership and the direction and focus for the Wing.
Master Sgt. Dennis V Folk is a C-130 Loadmaster Craftsman assigned to the 179th Operational Support Squadron.
Sgt. Folk enlisted in the United States Air Force under the delayed enlistment program on Jan. 17, 1986. Upon completion of Basic Military Training at Lackland AFB in September 1986, he attended technical school at Sheppard AFB, Texas, where he started his training in the Loadmaster career field.
Upon Sgt. Folk’s completion of his training, he was assigned to McChord Air Force Base’s 7th Mobile Aerial Port Squadron as a C-141 Aircraft Loadmaster Rigger.
In December 1987, he was transferred to the 8th Military Airlift Squadron where he served until transferring to the Ohio Air National Guard in August 1989. In the summer of 1989, Sgt. Folk transferred to the 164th Airlift Squadron to become a C-130 Loadmaster. Sgt. Folk completed the Loadmaster Qualification course at Little Rock AFB, where he once again excelled academically as well as in his flying performance.
Sgt. Folk returned to Mansfield in February 1990, where he continued to balance the demands of being an active loadmaster and a full time correctional officer. Prior to the nation’s evolvement in the Global War on Terror, he deployed numerous times in support of a large variety of operations (i.e. Provide Promise, Restore Hope, Provide Comfort, Joint Forge, etc.).
Since Sept. 11, 2001, Sgt. Folk has deployed 11 times in support of the Global War on Terror. During these deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan, Sergeant Folk amassed more than 1,137 combat hours and 961 combat sorties while being activated more than 1,200 days over a 10-year period.
On Jan. 9 2006, Sgt. Folk accepted a technician position as an instructor loadmaster, where he worked initially as an aircrew scheduler and later in the training office.
Master Sgt. Todd R. Ashcroft is the Resource Advisor, Unit Deployment Manager and Unit Health Monitor for the 179th Airlift Wing, Maintenance Squadron. He is responsible for providing the funding resources necessary to maintain the wing’s C-130H aircraft. Additionally, he is charged with ensuring unit readiness of 180 airmen within the 179th Airlift Wing Maintenance Group. These essential tasks ensure the readiness of 179th Airlift Wing Airmen and aircraft to conduct operations in peacetime, conflict and war.
He joined the Air Force in 1999 and was stationed at Minot AFB North Dakota as a B-52 Stratofortress Aircraft Mechanic. In 2005, Sgt. Ashcroft joined the Mansfield Ohio Air National Guard Base, where he continued working as an Aircraft Mechanic on C-130 Hercules.
Since beginning his technician career in 2006, he has held various positions with the 179AW. Sergeant Ashcroft began with AMXS then moved to the Maintenance Operations Flight before being selected as the Resource Advisor, Unit Deployment Manager, and Unit Health Monitor in 2013. As a B-52 and C-130 Aircraft Mechanic, Sergeant Ashcroft has been involuntarily activated and deployed numerous times serving with distinction.
During his COB Speicher, Iraq tour, he was instrumental in spearheading the first Joint Air Force and Army operation in military history.
Sgt. Ashcroft earned his Masters of Business Administration from Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
Senior Airman Jordyn E. Discenzo is a storeroom assistant assigned to the 179th Services Flight. She is an integral part of the detail oriented Store Room Team.
In October of 2010 she enlisted into the Ohio Air National Guard. Upon completion of Basic Military Training, she attended Services technical training located at Ft. Lee, Virginia. Since her return to Mansfield, Senior Airman Discenzo has volunteered to support the 179th Services Flight in various capacities.
Her most recent venture is in the storeroom, where she serves as the assistant to the storeroom manager. Her responsibilities require a vast amount of attention to detail in order to ensure storeroom cleanliness, proper maintenance, accurate inventory, and most important, ensuring the storeroom is secure at all times. She certifies that all products received are rotated in proper order and maintained in accordance with USAF health and safety guidelines.
In the spring of 2012, Airman Discenzo became a certified CPR instructor through the American Heart Association. Over the last two years, she has successfully instilled and certified basic lifesaving skills to over 100 people, many of which are fellow Airmen from the 179th Airlift Wing and 200th Red Horse Squadron.
Throughout her career she has participated in and assisted with the creation and set up of Wing-wide MWR events such as volleyball and basketball events held at the local YMCA.
In April of 2013, Senior Airman Discenzo volunteered to deploy in support of Operation Enduring Freedom to the Transit Center at Manas, the Kyrgyz Republic. During this tour, she served as a Lodging Contracting Officer Representative responsible for the manning of 92 lodging facilities and management of housing for DV billets and USO tours. In addition, she provided 132 key safety/lodging/EFSS operations briefs, educating 226 thousand joint and coalition partners.
In the tragic wake of a KC-135 aircraft accident, Airman Discenzo forged an emergency bed down plan to lodge an additional 60 members in only an hour and selflessly ensured that three fallen heroes were respectfully and expeditiously returned stateside with honor. While overseas, she accomplished a career goal by participating and completing in the Air Force Marathon, Deployed Location, being the only female to run and complete the full marathon.
Another rewarding career experience she had overseas was participating in the Crucial Seizem Women’s Shelter project, which involved forty-five hours of volunteerism assembling a playground, distributing clothing and reached out to the local children to teach the American culture.
Other award recipients recognized at the event were Master Sgt. John Willis, who won the Minuteman Award, which is given to the most outstanding member for the year in terms of team player and wingman concept. Sgt. Kurt Dieringer was awarded the Honor Guard Member of the Year award. Nominees for Honor Guard Member of the Year included Dieringer, Senior Airman Brody J. Alexander, and Sgt. Thomas A. Jones Jr.
Those nominated for the Company Grade Officer of the Year award were Capt. Ryan C. McMaster, Lt. Nathaniel J. McNary, and Lt. Sarah G. Woodson.
Nominees for the Senior Non-Commissioned Officer award included Sgt. Tonya Camarata, Sgt. Ralph L. Chandler IV, Sgt. Dennis V. Folk, Sgt. Kristofer E. Goll, Sgt. Dennis A. McJunkin, Sgt. Harold T. Snyder.
Sgt. Todd R. Ashcroft, Sgt. David J. Cales, Sgt. Jason E. Niedermier, Sgt. Francisco R. Rivera, Sgt. Michelle R. Roark, and Sgt. Amy H. Wiley were nominated for the Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year award.
Airman of the Year award nominees included Senior Airman Ryan S. Adkins, Senior Airman Brody J. Alexander, Senior Airman Jordyn E. Discenzo, Senior Airman Stuart M. Eitzman, Senior Airman James A. Krieg, and Senior Airman Andrew C. Lipian.
