LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
Ed Banaszek, 480th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing manpower and organization chief, was named the 2012 Air Force Installation Level Section Chief of the Year March 10.
Winners are judged on leadership skills and job performance in their respective duty titles, self-improvement and base or community improvement.
Though the award is a great achievement, the father of three and grandfather of one remains humble. Banaszek, who was also nominated for a team award along with his section, said he was honored to have even been nominated.
"I was fortunate to win the award, but it's really not about me," said Banaszek. "To be nominated is an honor, but to win is a reflection of the strong work center that you have. No one can do it alone."
The Arkansas native got his start in the military when he joined the Air Force in 1980, graduating high school only three weeks before he enlisted.
"Growing up, there weren't a lot of opportunities," said Banaszek. "It was four and a half miles of dirt road 'til you hit black top. Growing up in that type of environment, you have limited opportunities."
Originally part of a communications squadron, Banaszek retrained into manpower in 1996, and retired as a master sergeant at Headquarters Air Combat Command after 20 years of service. He then entered a career in civil service after his time in uniform.
As manpower and organization chief, Banaszek's responsibilities include managing 5,800 positions, which include six groups, 23 squadrons and nine detachments and operating locations.
"It's a pleasure coming to work," said Banaszek. "More here than other places, we get to see the fruits of our labor. Often you do a lot of staff work, and you don't see the end product."
Banaszek's positive attitude toward his work and those around him is mirrored in his coworkers. Banaszek's contemporaries are happy that he is a part of their work family.
"We were all very thrilled. It was definitely deserved," said Debra Locke, 480th ISR Wing mission support chief. "Sometimes it's a thankless job, moving billets around. Ed is a very meticulous. He has a knack for keeping up with almost 6,000 authorizations in our wing that are networked across the world. He really is involved in the units themselves and keeping up with billets."
Banaszek is proud to perform his job day to day, and is happy he can help play a part in protecting the lives of troops abroad.
"We always joke to each other that we work at the speed of war, though we're state side," he said. "We're in the fight 24-7-365. We are providing support to commanders out in the field to ensure they give the right information to troops on the ground. It's ultimately about saving lives."