Szczepaniec wins 307th BW NCO of the Year

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Jeff Walston
  • 307th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
Barksdale AFB, La. --  Tech. Sgt. Russell Szczepaniec, an explosive ordinance disposal technician assigned to the 307th Civil Engineer Squadron, was named the 307th Bomb Wing Noncommissioned Officer of the Year 2011.

"This honor means I've represented the EOD community well and brought attention to some of the vital work EOD is doing outside the wire, under fire, and at great personal risk," Szczepaniec said. "I believe the EOD career field is still in the process of being truly understood by others in the Air Force and the military as a whole."

According to Szczepaniec, he didn't think about joining the military while he was a band member at Pulaski High School in Pulaski Wis., but after graduation in 1997, he did just that.

For most people joining the military, there is an outside force urging or influencing them into what is usually a life-altering decision. It could be a family history in the military or a decision based on personal or historical events such as 9/11. For Szczepaniec, it was a little different.

"When I joined the military, I didn't really I have a plan. I was just putting off having to make a decision on a career for six years," Szczepaniec said.

During his military career, Szczepaniec has deployed numerous times. He deployed to an undisclosed base in the Middle East, in 2001, and Sather Air Base, Iraq, in 2004. Later, in 2007, he deployed to Sather AB/Forward Operating Base Warhorse, Iraq, and in 2010, was deployed to FOB Warrior in Afghanistan.

"I have a very difficult time arbitrarily telling people about me or what I have done or things of that nature," Szczepaniec said. "My children have made the greatest impact in my life. Having a family affects my service, and I have to balance all of my commitments. I make decisions, including military ones, based on how much time I will be away from my family."

For many EOD veterans, frequent deployments have made the difference in their personal and family lives. For Szczepaniec, his focus has stayed on his family.

"The EOD community is a close-knit group and they are fine examples of the caliber of Airmen protecting American service members and U.S. interests down range," said Col. Jon Ellis, commander of the 307th Bomb Wing. "I am extremely proud to have him in the 307th Bomb Wing family."

With a recent drop in deployment tempo, Szczepaniec maintains his focus on family, the mission at hand and his future.

"For now, I will continue training and preparing for the next deployment. I'll probably continue (in the military) as long as I can for the fellowship within the EOD brotherhood. It can't be found anywhere else," Szczepaniec said. "My best experiences in the military have been my deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan where I put my military training to use actually saving infrastructure and lives. Now, I am looking forward to watching my children grow and helping them learn and develop".