5th MDG NCO wins two AF awards

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Danny Monahan
  • Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Air Force level awards are only awarded to the very best. Recently, an Airman from the 5th Medical Group earned two.

Master Sgt. Michelle Rootes, 5th Medical Operations Squadron, was awarded the 2006 Col. Cleveland L. Parker Award - Public Health Senior NCO of the Year and was also selected to represent the Air Force Expeditionary Medics, who were named the 2007 Team of the Year.

The awards come on the heels of receiving the Air Combat Command Cleveland L. Parker Award for both 2005 and 2006.

"This is the top," said Sergeant Rootes. "I didn't think it was possible to win ACC awards twice in two years never mind win at the Air Force level because everybody is doing great things."

Because of her accomplishments while deployed to Afghanistan in 2006, she was one of seven Airmen throughout the Air Force selected to be a member of the Expeditionary Medics team. Each year the Air Force selects a specific career field to be recognized as the team of the year.

"I'm elated," said Maj. Douglas Webb, 5th MDOS Public Health Flight commander. "Her accomplishments haven't surprised me one bit. Sergeant Rootes is a rock solid NCO and a first-rate public health craftsman."

Some of Sergeant Rootes' many achievements include being the first public health tactical trainer embedded with the Afghan National Army. She also led a convoy of two tons of donated clothes and toys, which were distributed to Afghan orphanages.

According to Sergeant Rootes, her achievements couldn't have been rewarded without the help of her coworkers.

"My awards are a reflection of the others I work with," she said. "When I deployed they took care of the work at home and they did a great job."

Having already accepted her public health award, Sergeant Rootes will fly to Washington D.C to accept her expeditionary medic award.

"I can't believe I get to go to D.C.," she said. "This is the stuff you see photos of other people doing; not yourself."