HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – Base officials recently announced that 66th Medical Squadron Biomedical clinicians and the 66th Security Forces Squadron were selected as higher-headquarter award recipients.
Maj. Curtis Howell and Tech. Sgt. Andrew Dailey won the “U.S. Air Force Biomedical Clinician of the Year” in their respective military categories.
In an email to the workforce, the installation commander noted the achievement.
“Thank you for all you do for the installation, our mission partners and the New England area,” wrote Col. Taona Enriquez, installation and 66th Air Base Group commander.
Dailey, 66 MDS Preventative Medicine Flight chief, led a 24-member multidisciplinary team.
“I'm blessed to have been stationed here at Hanscom with exceptional people who are aligned on being good teammates to each other and are genuinely interested in improving the unit, themselves, and others,” he said.
Selected as best in the Air Force in the noncommissioned category, Dailey helped train joint service medics and supported Military Treatment Facilities throughout the Air Force. Prior to winning this award, his efforts had earned him an Air Force Materiel Command ‘Trusted Care Hero’ award.
The Hanscom NCO was also credited with directing New England health-related observations, earning his team a safety award and quarterly award. In addition, he served as president of the Hanscom AFB Rising Six private organization.
“Much of what we do in the service results from the development of high-performing teams and being a good teammate,” said Dailey.
Howell, who was nominated while a member of the 39th Operation Medical Readiness Squadron at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, was selected as best in Air Force in the field grade officer category.
“I am humbled by being honored with this type of award,” he said. “I give all my appreciation to the members that I have had the pleasure of serving with, as they are the ones that facilitated me to receive this level of accomplishment.”
Responsible for directing more than 10 aeromedical evacuation missions, Howell coordinated with mission partners to expedite life-saving care for U.S. service members.
Additionally, according to the nomination, Howell was the Air Force’s first-ever non-Medical Corps chief of Aerospace Medicine, where he executed a multi-million-dollar budget.
The 66th Security Forces Squadron will move on to the Air Force level following their selection as the 2022 AFMC Security Forces Unit Award winner in the medium-sized squadron category.
“Congratulations, Blue Knights … you’ve all earned every accolade,” Enriquez wrote in an email to the ABG workforce.
The squadron successfully developed a ride-share program at Hanscom AFB by granting base access to vetted drivers.
Squadron officials also introduced the first-ever Hanscom Honorary Beret program for installation senior leaders.
“This unit has done so much over the past year, overcoming immense obstacles, giving back to the community through many events, deploying around the world in support of numerous expeditionary mission sets, all while honing their craft and training to protect anyone and everyone when they encounter the worst days of their lives,” said Maj. Brandon Casso, 66 SFS commander. “The Blue Knights are extremely deserving of this recognition, and I am honored to be on their team.”