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AFMS NCO earns prestigious award

  • Published
  • By Kevin M. Hymel
  • Air Force Surgeon General Public Affairs
FALLS CHURCH, Va. --  U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Christy Nixon, who works in the Dental Assistant Apprentice Program (DAAP) at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, received the American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA) President’s Award of Excellence at a ceremony at the Renaissance Washington Hotel in Washington, D.C., Nov. 7.

The award recognizes the person in the association who shows “the most outstanding achievements in promoting the objectives” of the ADAA, as well as “furthering the profession of dental assisting,” according to the ADAA website. Nixon was selected from 26 nominees.

Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Roosevelt Allen, director of Medical Operations and Research, and chief of the Dental Corps, Office of the Air Force Surgeon General, attended the ceremony and later commented, "I was honored to participate in presenting Tech. Sgt. Nixon the ADAA's highest award for her superb performance and outstanding leadership skills. Although she was singled out, she is simply a reflection of the caliber of dental professionals across the Air Force Dental Service."

Sergeant Nixon earned the honor through her tireless efforts at DAAP as well as her community: She assisted in managing 10 course instructors; helped mentor and counsel students, instructors and Military Training Leaders; and, as a member of the Academic Oversite Board, helped determine if students should be retained or removed from training. Because of her exemplary work, she was handpicked to be a DAAP safety officer.

This was not the first time Sergeant Nixon was recognized for her hard work. She won the Air Force Medical Education and Training Campus “Excellence in Teaching,” 937th Training Group Dental Noncommissioned Officer of the Year for 2014, the 37th Training Wing Outstanding Dental NCO of the Year Award and the Air Education and Training Command Ground Safety of the Year Cat IV award.

“She epitomizes the U.S. Air Force’s core values of integrity, service before self, and excellence in all we do, and promoting and enhancing the profession of dental assisting,” wrote Master Sgt. Lisa Lund, the director of the Dental Assistant Course Program, in her letter of recommendation. “I feel she greatly deserves the ADAA President’s Award of Excellence.”