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ARPC member recognized as AFRC Airman of the Year

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Rob Hazelett
  • Air Reserve Personnel Center Public Affairs
Staff Sgt. Mitchell Ciccarelli, Air Reserve Personnel Center casualty service technician, was presented the 2015 Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command Airman of the Year by Lt. Gen. James F. Jackson, chief of the Air Force Reserve and commander of Air Force Reserve Command, at the AFRC Outstanding Airmen of the Year Banquet April 16, 2016, held in Jacksonville, Fla.

Ciccarelli executed 117 Servicemembers Group Life Insurance claims dispersing more than $23 million in critical payout within 24 hours. He provided counseling to 40 service members on Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan entitlements, which reduced erroneous submissions by 30 percent. Ciccarelli also assisted a Major Command liaison when he provided National Guard Bureau and AFRC enhanced suicide briefings. In addition, he displayed Senior NCO level communication skills as he provided a Command Chief Master Sergeant briefing on casualties to 12 chief master sergeants. Ciccarelli was recognized by the Buckley Airman Leadership School Class 15-E with the coveted "Leadership Award" for exceptional military standards. In his spare time, he devoted eight hours to Operation Homefront, which included preparing backpacks with school supplies for 25 local children.

Ciccarelli said he was extremely honored and described what it was like to win the award.

“I am humbled to have been selected as the 2015 Headquarters AFRC Airman of the Year,” he said. “We have an amazing leadership team here at ARPC and I'd like to take this time to thank all of those leaders for believing in me as a member of this All-Star team.”

The five-year Air Force veteran discussed his goal while serving in the military.

“My ultimate goal as an Airman and as a non-commissioned officer is to motivate and inspire. I am hoping this will give me the platform necessary to reach a larger audience and spread infectious positive energy across the entire Air Force,” he said. “A wise man once told me that it may not be possible to inspire millions of people single-handedly but maybe I would get through to that one person who will reach those millions. To me, that is what being a member of the greatest Air Force on planet Earth is all about.”