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Tech. Sgt. Shari Owoh was recognized as the Air Force recipient of the 2011 DOD National Image Meritorious Service Award April 28, 2011, during a ceremony in Orlando, Fla. Sergeant Owoh is assigned to the 65th Air Base Wing protocol office. (Courtesy photo)
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Lajes Airman receives DOD image award
Posted 5/13/2011
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by Staff Sgt. Olufemi Owolabi
65th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
5/13/2011 - LAJES FIELD, Azores (AFNS) -- An Airman here recently received a Department of Defense award on behalf of the Air Force for doing what she loves best -- volunteering and helping others.
Tech. Sgt. Shari Owoh, assigned to the 65th Air Base Wing protocol office, was recognized as the Air Force recipient of the 2011 DOD National Image Meritorious Service Award. She was recognized for outstanding work done from May 2009 through March 2011 and was presented the award April 28 during a ceremony in Orlando, Fla.
The award honors military members and DOD civilian employees who support the DOD mission, overseas contingency operations, or whose attributes best epitomize quality and core values of their military service.
"I feel honored to be the wing's and Air Force's representative for such a prestigious award," Sergeant Owoh said. "The fact that I was chosen to represent the Air Force is still such a big shock to me, and I am truly honored."
The service award acknowledged Sergeant Owoh for promoting programs and activities that brought awareness to women, minorities and youth.
In 2009, while stationed at Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C., Sergeant Owoh served on the African American heritage council and the Women's History Month committee, and she led a program that promoted the civil rights of all Americans, including minorities and women. Sergeant Owoh organized numerous programs, one of which was adopted by members of the Air National Guard at Andrews AFB, Md.
She also coordinated the 2009 Black History Month's health fair for more than 2,000 members, and she was a project officer for the first two-day conference ever held during Women's History Month at Bolling AFB.
When Sergeant Owoh arrived here in May 2010, she brought with her innovative community involvement programs. She coordinated the donation of backpacks and school supplies for a Portuguese elementary school. She also hosted an event that highlighted the unity among minorities and non-minorities in the military and civilian communities.
After receiving the DOD image award, she described the feeling as "so unreal," and "mind blowing."
"It shows that if you keep doing the things you love without looking for any recognition, God will ensure you are taken care of, and you don't have to worry about anything else," she said.
According to her award citation, Sergeant Owoh displayed the outstanding qualities that distinguish her as a leader.
"She practiced the tenets of a democratic society, including the U.S. constitution, the belief that all people are created equal and that freedom is a right that must be protected at all times," the award citation reads. |
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