Getting to know an ‘Outstanding Airman’

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jessica Haas
  • Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  She received a Purple Heart and has an Army Commendation medal. She was injured in Afghanistan, but helped others before helping herself. She travelled home from her deployment to find out that she had been named one of the Air Force's Twelve Outstanding Airmen.

Senior Airman Bryenna Brooks, a member of the 2nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron, traveled to Minot Air Force Base to visit with her peers, as part of a year-long tour of all Air Force Global Strike Command bases, on behalf of the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force.

When asked about her road to success, Brooks is humble in her reply, giving credit to others, and also noting that her deployment played a big role her receiving the award.

"For me, it had a lot to do with my deployment - but I know a lot of it is my supervision and mentors who have helped me through my career thus far," said Brooks. "Volunteering also has a lot to do with it, but just doing your job to the best of your ability is also very important."

On her deployment, Brooks said she conducted convoy supply missions. She said she was injured during her last convoy mission, and subsequently earned a purple heart.

"When we got hit, it was during my last mission - I only had two weeks left in Afghanistan," said Brooks. "We had to switch to night missions because the road was getting 'hot'. We were on our way back when one of the host nation drivers had a 'mental break down'. Because of this, we had to stop to assess what was happening. That's when we started to receive small arms fire."

Brooks said a rocket propelled grenade went straight through the vehicle, just missing her shoulder on the way through.

"The main thing I focused on was keeping everyone calm during that time," said Brooks. "We started driving again and eventually arrived at a forward operating base, where we stopped and received medical attention."

Brooks went back to work for another two weeks before leaving Afghanistan. When she came back, she found out she had won Outstanding Airman of the Year.

"It's a year-long job for the most part," said Brooks. "My job is to listen to the concerns and questions my fellow Airmen have and relay that information to the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force."

Some of the topics Brooks will be reporting back on for Minot are the acquiring of career job reservations, putting a maximum time limit on how long Airmen are stationed at any one base and Personnel Reliability Program incentive pay.

Brooks is scheduled to return to Minot early next year to follow up on the topics presented during her initial visit.