First Lieutenant Laurie Albarino

One sure sign of leadership is not being afraid of a daunting challenge. After serving in the enlisted ranks, 1st Lt. Laurie A. Albarino was on her way to an ambitious future through Officer Training School when she was involved in a near-fatal automobile accident. The accident left her with severe injuries and she spent three months recuperating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Overcoming physical challenges, including learning to walk again, she was returned to active duty status and subsequently completed OTS. Soon after, she was assigned as the only female maintenance officer at Cape Canaveral AS, then went to Patrick AFB where she managed space launch contracts and contractors. Now working in the munitions field, she has just one class to go to get her MBA from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. First Lieuenant Albarino juggles her demanding professional life with being a single mother. As a former enlisted member, she is an outstanding role model for her squadron, says her supervisor, "If all my officers were like Laurie, I wouldn't have a worry in the world."

Master Sergeant Janet Osborne

Master Sergeant Janet Osborne took on a squadron that was on the bottom rung of the working climate survey and by turning on the afterburners increased everyone's performance. Jumping right into her task, she began working shoulder to shoulder with her unit's mechanics, changing oil and working on broken vehicles. She also worked on citizenship issues for 10 airmen from foreign nations who wanted to stay in the service. She arranged waivers for them to attend Airman Leadership School while working on their citizenship. Examples of her involvement in her community includes coordinating the base's first sergeants for the Holiday Cheer Program, participating in booster club activities, spouses groups, and she works as a stress prevention expert, handling everything from suicide prevention to domestic violence.

Senior Airman Brian Coles

An unfortunate on-duty industrial accident didn't get this airman down. Instead, Senior Airman Brian L. Coles perseveres each day to improve himself physically to remain on active duty. Refusing to leave the hospital in a wheelchair after his January 2000 accident, which resulted in his right leg being amputated below the knee, he instead left on crutches. While recuperating he concentrated on his Career Development Course studies and within eight weeks after the accident he was back at work. His peers say he was an inspiration during his recovery period, remaining upbeat through it all. He now runs on his artificial leg and has completed all requirements of the Medical Evaluation Board. Coming from a family with deep military ties, Coles has always wanted to be a part of the Air Force. By showing extraordinary commitment and dedication, Coles is an example to airmen everywhere.

Technical Sergeant Brian Williams

RANDOLPH AFB, Texas - Dedication to Excellence. Outstanding Leadership. Concern and Compassion. Commitment and Contribution. These are just a few of the words that describe what Tech. Sgt. Brian Williams provides every day to both the Air Force and his community. In September 1995 Williams created a new program to raise the spirits of chronically ill children. His initiative, called "Pilot for a Day," utilizes simulators to allow these kids to fulfill their dream of being a pilot, at least for a day.

Initially, Williams funded the entire program out of his own pocket and handled all the considerable paperwork that was involved. This program has touched the lives of ailing children and their families in a most profound and meaningful way. One example involved a terminally ill little boy who was presented with his own customized flight suit to wear during his "Pilot for a Day" experience.

Williams' caring had such an impact on the boy that he asked to be buried in the flight suit. "It's all about making the kids happy…. If we can do anything to help these kids get their minds off their problems and see them smile, then it's all worth it," Williams says. His successful "Pilot for a Day" program has been replicated by other Air Force bases.

As a loadmaster instructor at Altus AFB, Brian Williams performs at the highest standards, demonstrating an exceptional base of knowledge and a superb ability to teach and deal with people. His commander says "there is only one C-17 expert in my book, and that's Brian."

"He is a fantastic teacher" say his supervisors. "He is incredibly energetic, just a fantastic guy," comments a colleague. By his example, Tech. Sgt. Brian Williams makes you proud to be an airman. He embodies the best qualities of the U.S. Air Force.

MN2 Sheena Thetford

On a daily basis Petty Officer Sheena Thetford demonstrates her outstanding commitment to both the Navy and her community. She's not afraid of a challenge and performs a wide range of duties with the utmost competence. Her naval duties include training coordinator, crime prevention coordinator, supply petty officer, departmental HAZMAT/HAZWASTE coordinator, safety petty officer, work request liaison and community relations liaison. Her colleagues say she takes on urgent and needed responsibilities without fanfare or complaint. If you need something done on this base, Thetford's supervisors say, "she is the go-to person who takes charge of anything… you don't have to tell her anything twice." Contributions to her community include work on Red Ribbon Week, where she arranged for a drug dog demonstration and drug awareness education for more than 1,200 school children. She also initiated the city of Kingsville's first-ever Child Passenger Safety Seat Check-up Day, replacing dangerous seats and educating the public. Petty Officer Sheena Thetford exemplifies the best the Navy has to offer.

Senior Chief Glenn Arrington

Senior Chief Glenn Arrington is known for his integrity, dedication and knowledge of the job and his concern for sailors. As one colleague summarized: "We struck up a conversation over some hot coffee. The topic turned to having faith in our sailors. Glenn told me something that I will always remember. He said, 'the key to developing people is to catch them doing something right.' What a powerful management concept! Unfortunately, at that time I had a genius for catching people doing things wrong. Glenn recommended that I spend at least several hours each week just wandering around the facility catching people doing things right. From that point on, I remembered to give praise immediately, make it specific, and encourage my sailors to keep up the good work." "Everyone looks up to him," said one supervisor. Setting high standards, having faith in sailors, confidence in their abilities and concern for their welfare - these are leadership characteristics that Senior Chief Glenn Arrington embodies.

David Frederick

Many children in Kosovo mistake small munitions for toys. Some of them have been injured and others killed while playing with live munitions. Petty Officer David Frederick greatly enhanced the humanitarian effort in Kosovo by providing Unexploded Ordinance recognition/awareness training to nearly 5,000 Kosovar school children. Now instead of playing with munitions, children now report found objects to the local police or to an American soldier. The number of injuries from accidental explosions has been greatly reduced. Along with a local chaplain, his wife Justine, and his command, Petty Officer Frederick also began a Christmas-time mission to collect, sort and deliver winter clothing and toys to needy Albanian and Serbian children. Petty Officer David Frederick is a sailor who cares and makes a difference.

IT2 Min Park

Sacrifice, integrity and courage are the traits that personify Petty Officer 2nd class Min Y. Park. Park boarded the USS Grapple, a firefighting, salvage, and rescue ship, as a non-designated seaman. As a deck sailor on the Grapple's fantail during the recovery of Swissair Flight 111 in September 1998 in the waters off Nova Scotia, she lead her fellow seamen in what her then-commanding officer described as "the onerous and physically challenging mission of remains recovery."

Bagging bodies and body parts was a mission definitely not for the faint-hearted. "She was unbelievable and never complained about her assignment," he added. "She never flinched or hesitated." Despite the obvious difficulties and unpleasantness this task involved, she persevered and encouraged her shipmates. The former commanding officer of the ship adds, "she was very inspiring. She remained consistent and stalwart."

Petty Officer Park was also instrumental in the formation of a study group in which her entire department qualified as surface warfare specialists. Park has put her own education and career advancement on hold in order to support her family. Sacrificing the opportunity for a NROTC scholarship, she has declined the educational opportunity and a sure shot at a commission in order to continue to receive a salary that will allow her to take care of her mother.

The man who was her ship's command master chief at the time of the Swissair recovery says she is "without a doubt, one of the finest sailors I've ever seen." Petty Officer 2nd class Min Park is "an inspiration to her shipmates and to her superiors. "She was unbelievable," he said.

Master Gunnery Sergeant Roger Wiley

When there's a challenge, Master Gunnery Sgt. Roger Wiley is a Marine who is up to it. Since he took over the Military Entrance Processing Station, the total attrition rate dropped tremendously. He initiated a recruit training brief that led to significantly higher quality recruits, ensuring that the most motivated, informed and capable young men and women enter the Corps. In doing so, Wiley reduced the number of erroneous enlistments, cut recruit training attrition, and sliced discrepancies. The training brief he created has been described as "awesome" by his colleagues, and by better qualifying the recruits he ships off to boot camp, he has saved the Marine Corps untold thousands of dollars in training costs. "Just be the professional Marine you are," says Wiley, "and recruit to that caliber." Master Gunnery Sgt. Wiley demonstrates the kind of commitment to excellence that is at the heart of what it is to be a Marine.

Sergeant Nicole Boone

Sgt. Boone is a role model in her commitment both to the Corps and to her family. In a demanding position as purchasing and contract specialist, she has attained an exceptionally high level of competence while learning everything on the job. "She never says no" and she's the "go-to person in the office," say her colleagues. "No matter what task, she never complains and always comes up with a plan," comments one superior. Displaying this tireless energy and dedication on the job would be enough for anyone, but Boone takes it one step further, earning a 3.9 average in college and managing five young children at home. As her colleagues say, "she has an extraordinary capacity for performing balancing acts." In her spare time, Sgt. Boone collects second-hand clothing and distributes it to needy families in the Albany area. "This is definitely the caliber Marine we look for," says a colleague.