LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- Airman 1st Class Elijah Youngblood, 19th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordinance Disposal team member, received the Senior Master Sergeant Margaret Frances Barbour Military Award, presented by Tuskegee Airman Inc. for outstanding performance
Youngblood accepted the award during the annual Tuskegee Airmen National Convention in Washington D.C., August 18, 2024, but prior to that recognition, he didn’t even know he had been nominated.
“They told me that I had won at the group,” Youngblood said. “I thought it had stopped at the group, and then one day, [19th Civil Engineer Squadron senior enlisted leader] Senior Master Sgt. Burke pulled me into his office and told me that I won at the Air Force level.”
Only four military members receive military awards at the highest level from Tuskegee Airmen Inc. each year. Nominees are evaluated in three categories: achievement, development and community service. Youngblood said he didn’t expect to receive an award like this.
“Absolutely no, I did not,” said Youngblood. “I thought I was just living my life and being, being a good Airman, and then, there I was.”
Tech. Sgt. Brandon Tran, 19 CES EOD flight chief, said Youngblood has been doing more than the average Airman since he arrived at his unit. According to Tran, he completed upgrade training faster than any Airman in the history of EOD at Little Rock Air Force Base.
“Every single opportunity that we've given him to lead something or improve a process, he's taken it and run with it,” said Tran. “He is always looking for opportunities for not only himself to better in our craft, but the rest of the team as well.”
Youngblood hasn’t just proven his commitment to his career field, but has also demonstrated a dedication to the community, planning several food drives for his entire squadron.
“One of our core values we have here is trust,” said Youngblood. “Obviously, you would have to build that trust to for someone to let you plan events and stuff, because they have to trust you and know that you have competency—that your heart's in the right place.”
He has also been consistently working with a mentorship program for the last 18 months called Immerse Arkansas, a program meeting the needs and obstacles of kids aging out of foster care. He said giving back has been pouring right back into him.
“Doing that has helped me just think about others and not being focused on myself,” said Youngblood.
The struggles that the first Black military pilots overcame, defying prejudice and fighting for a country that denied them equal rights and opportunities, cannot be overstated. Today, the expanded legacy of these brave men is one of breaking barriers and putting others first, the heart of the award Youngblood received.
At the award ceremony, Youngblood and his wife met one of the surviving Tuskegee Airmen, who told him his story.
“[They] talked about their support system,” said Youngblood. “They had a father or a mentor in their life that showed them that they were worth more than what the world told them.”
Youngblood has a support system of his own, and for him, it ties back to the core value of trust in his wingmen.
“If I didn't have that trust, I would not have even been able to do anything that I've been able to complete,” he said.
For those very wingmen, that trust goes both ways.
“He's just the whole Airman,” according to Tran. “He is committed to making himself better, committed to making the team better and providing for the community around him in whatever sphere, sphere of influence that he has.”