LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. --
Rank and name: Master Sgt. Rachel Armstrong
Unit: 19th Force Support Squadron
Official Duty title: Superintendent, Sustainment Services Flight (Interim)
Hometown: Biloxi, MS
Time in service: 13 Years
Time at Little Rock: 10 months
Goals: Finish Masters Degree
Master Sgt. Armstrong led a 193-member team, her targeted mentorship directly led to her team accruing a Community College of the Air Force degree, two bachelor’s, an MBA, three special duty selections, and her election as President of the LRAFB Top III Council.
Additionally, she was a central figure in opening the new $5M turf and track field, and under her leadership, her fitness team has been crushing it—leading monthly events and taking on major base-wide endeavors like the upcoming Run the Runway half marathon in May.
Finally, while expertly directing a massive $10M dining facility portfolio, she met a 14-personnel manning crisis head-on. She masterfully restructured operations, guiding her team through a demanding evaluation to win the prestigious John L. Hennessy Award as the 2025 “Best Dining Facility in the Air Force”!
Name and Rank: Staff Sgt. Addyson Avellone
Unit: 19th Maintenance Squadron
Official Duty title: Nondestructive inspection craftsman
Hometown: Jacksonville, IL
Time in service: 7 Years
Time at Little Rock: 10 months
Goals: Become a Military Training Instructor and run a half marathon
Staff Sgt. Avellone’s actions were integral in the support of Operation Epic Fury. She collaborated with six maintenance specialties to prepare 4.3K lbs of critical cargo, validating the 19th Airlift Wing's "TacAir Anywhere" promise.
Additionally, she swiftly identified and coordinated repair of a faulty X-ray equipment component. Her initiative protected 26 Airmen and negated stoppage of weld certification program, saving $18K in replacement and outsourcing costs.
Finally, she achieved Resilience Facilitator certification, instructing 32 First Term Enlistment Airmen on resilience principles, building a core pillar for the 19th Airlift Wing's talent pipeline, preparing new "Combat Airlifters" for mission rigors.
Rank and name: Tech. Sgt. Alexander White
Unit: 19th Logistics Readiness Squadron
Official Duty title: Individual Protective Equipment section chief
Hometown: Castle Rock, CO
Time in service: 15.5 years
Time at Little Rock: 3 years
Goals: Retirement
Tech. Sgt. White led gear issue operations for the Combat Readiness Exercise and innovated a new flow process ensuring zero processing delays and decreasing issue time by one and a half minutes per deployer.
He lead his 14-member in garrison and 5 member augmentee teams gearing 140 warfighters for a short-notice deployment amidst Operation Epic Fury uncertainty; ensured zero mission delays.
Finally, he tackled two Air Mobility Command directed taskers to identify mobility bag shortfalls and expedite replenishment of critical stock levels to support qualifications and real-world movements; lethal and ready force.
Rank and name: Airman 1st Class Jacob Dittus
Unit: 41st Airlift Squadron
Official Duty title: SQ Scheduling Assistant/loadmaster C-130J
Hometown: Castle Rock, CO
Time in service: 2.5 years
Time at Little Rock: 2 years
Goals: Make Chief Master Sgt. and instructor loadmaster
Airman 1st Class Dittus was selected as a senior loadmaster for an expeditated Request For Support aircrew, for an increase of forces to a contingency location, 12 months ahead of his peers.
Additionally, he guided a crew through a 1 month Department Level Exercise, integrating with 5 nations to transport 637 personnel & 870K lbs of cargo, furthering National Defense priorities, and validating Unit of Action concepts across the United States Indo-Pacific Command, earning squadron Airman of the Quarter!
Finally, he flew 296 hours across 145 Higher Headquarter sorties, garnered #4/15 in flight totals amongst peers, while crushing 34 core training requirements, & securing upgrade 1 month early.