AFSC 4C0X1
Mental Health Service
Awards
See also: Navy Mental Health Technician Awards
See also: Army Behavioral Health Specialist Awards
NCOIC, Mental Health
Technical Sergeant Marisa S. Campos distinguished herself by outstanding meritorious service as Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, Mental Health, 2d Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, from 1 February 2022 to 30 November 2025. During this period, Sergeant Campos led the installation's largest Mental Health element, supervising up to 31 military and civilian personnel while directing six clinical programs delivering over 30,000 patient encounters to more than 30,000 beneficiaries across two Bomb Wings and 49 tenant units. A trusted advisor to more than one hundred senior leaders, she strengthened resilience across the installation through disaster mental health response, prevention initiatives, and enterprise-level outreach impacting 32,000 Airmen. Demonstrating exceptional resource stewardship, Sergeant Campos revitalized substance abuse services, increased access-to-care by 79 percent, reduced no-show rates, and recaptured more than 1.2 million dollars in medical services while saving hundreds of manpower hours. In addition, as Personnel Reliability Program Lead Monitor, Sergeant Campos safeguarded national defense priorities by auditing hundreds of records and executing over 300 deployment and reliability clearances, directly protecting a 4.9 billion dollar weapons system and sustaining global strike operations. Further, her leadership elevated squadron performance, inspired the development and promotion of subordinate Airmen, and directly contributed to multiple group and wing-level honors. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Technical Sergeant Campos reflect great credit upon herself and the United States Air Force.
Mental Health Element Chief
Major Meghan E. D. Witten distinguished herself in the performance of outstanding service to the United States as the Mental Health Element Chief, 18th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, 18th Medical Group, 18th Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan. During this period, Major Witten pioneered Kadena's first Behavioral Health Data Portal remote access for specialty care and prescriptive partnership with Family Advocacy to treat peripartum care for 349 mothers, which reduced wait times by eighty-five percent and expanded specialty services to 15,000 beneficiaries. Additionally, she dual-hatted Flight Medical Director responsibilities where she led a thirty-two-member team, interpreted 254 labs, and consulted on eleven critical inpatient transfers, which achieved a ninety-six percent return-to-duty rate. Furthermore, Major Witten flawlessly bridged an Army manning gap, mobilized five technicians, and cleared eighty-five deployers, enabling a rapid security response for four hundred United States Embassy staff members and her team earning five joint-service citations. Moreover, she developed five Defense Health Agency treatment groups, generating 288 additional monthly patient encounters and improving customer satisfaction by twenty percent, which paved the way for being benchmarked Air Force-wide across seventy-six Military Treatment Facilities. Finally, Major Witten expertly covered Flight Commander duties for three months where she directed 44 joint staff across three elements, operated four wing programs, and established the region's first tele-behavioral health platform, which hiked access to care by fifteen percent and slashed wait times from 6 months to one week, culminating in her earning two Squadron and one Wing Field Grade Officer of the Quarter, two Squadron Team of the Quarter, one Wing Squadron of the Quarter, an Outstanding Unit, an Army Certificate of Achievement, and Air Combat Command's Privileged Advanced Practice Nurse of the Year awards! The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Major Witten reflect great credit upon herself and the United States Air Force.
Mental Health Element Chief
Major Kevin C. Hiner distinguished himself by meritorious service as the Mental Health Element Chief, 21st Medical Squadron, 21st Medical Group, Space Base Delta 1, Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado. During this period, Major Hiner directed the Mental Health Clinic with a fifty percent manning shortage and supported sixty-six billion dollar space operations by returning ninety-eight percent of patients to full duty. He served as the Director of Psychological Health and relayed critical mental health trends to base commanders as the subject matter expert on the Community Action Board and Case Management Group and provided after-hours consultation for the 9,100 Space Base Delta 1 population. Furthermore, Major Hiner piloted PinPoint Counseling, a brief assessment and intervention model to vector 141 patients, which increased production by fifty percent, reduced encounter times by sixty-six percent, returned 4,700 hours back to the base mission, improved access to care by three weeks, and was implemented at Peterson Space Force Base. Moreover, he acted as the Force Medical Operations Flight Commander for four weeks and directed nineteen members amongst ten career fields within Family Health, Flight Medicine, and Mental Health for 1,035 patient appointments. His efforts contributed to the team reaching number one in United States Space Force for annual health assessments and to the flight winning the Medical Group's 2022 Team of the Year. Finally, his sustained performance led to his selection as the Squadron's 2022 Field Grade Officer of the Year. The distinctive accomplishments of Major Hiner reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
Mental Health Superintendent
Senior Master Sergeant Malcolm J. Sharpe distinguished himself in the performance of outstanding service to the United States as Mental Health Superintendent, 633d Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, 633d Medical Group, 633d Air Base Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. During this period, Sergeant Sharpe's leadership empowered 100 medical professionals, guiding psychological health across five wings, Air Combat Command Headquarters staff, and 64 mission partners. Additionally, he guided the MAJCOM's drug testing program across twelve bases, managing a 60,000 dollar budget to enable 61,000 monthly tests with a remarkably low one percent untestable rate. Furthermore, Sergeant Sharpe forged a strategic partnership with the Ohio State University Veteran Suicide and Trauma initiative, securing an eight million dollar Congressional Special Interest project aimed at decreasing suicide risk among service members. Moreover, he enhanced the mental health career field, devoting 40 hours to Master Sergeant and Technical Sergeant vectoring, reviewing 27 records, and aligning them with future job roles to meet specific mission requirements and advanced professional development. Finally, Senior Master Sergeant Sharpe's mentorship produced multiple PME Distinguished Graduate recipients, five quarterly and two Wing annual awards winners. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Senior Master Sergeant Sharpe culminate a long and distinguished career in the service of his country and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
Mental Health Journeyman
Staff Sergeant Jhonatan A. Gutierrez distinguished himself by meritorious service as Mental Health Journeyman, 633d Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, 633d Medical Group, 633d Air Base Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. During this period, Sergeant Gutierrez managed caseloads for 13 providers while ensuring continuity of care for 828 patients, pushing the Mental Health Flight's utilization rate to 35 percent, which was essential to the Medical Group's Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. Additionally, he led mental health deployment clearances, where he processed 769 deployers and enabled the 1st Fighter Wing's 72-hour rapid departure with no mission delays in support of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE. Furthermore, he served on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Response Team, where he facilitated a national mass surveillance rollout and screened 500 active duty members, which led to the Military Treatment Facility's Air Combat Command Hospital of the Year award. Finally, he collaborated with Air Force Special Operations Command aircrew behavioral health doctors, where he administered and scored 266 psychological tests for 115 personnel, which resulted in the selection of 13 Air Liaison Officers. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Gutierrez reflect credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
Behavioral Health Technician
Senior Airman April M. Bennett distinguished herself by outstanding achievement as Behavioral Health Technician, 192nd Medical Group, 192nd Wing, Virginia Air National Guard, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, from March 2021 to July 2025. Airman Bennett delivered superior clinical and operational support, facilitating Suicide Prevention and Sexual Assault Prevention and Response briefings across the 192nd Wing, reaching 2,500 Airmen. Her instruction enhanced the wing's mental health posture and ensured training compliance. She was pivotal in executing the Wing Stand Down and provided individual Sexual Assault Prevention and Response sessions during high-need periods. Beyond her core duties, Airman Bennett conducted inpatient care during annual training at Naval Medical Center San Diego, strengthening clinical expertise and expanding readiness for mobilizations. She was a two-time Airman of the Quarter, coined by the 192nd Fighter Wing Commander, achieved a perfect fitness score, and was the 2022 Distinguished Honor Graduate of Technical School. Additionally, she completed Airman Leadership School and supported mass vaccination and readiness operations. Her professionalism and dedication reflect credit upon herself, the 192nd Medical Group, and the United States Air Force.
Inpatient Mental Health Technician
Senior Airman Shelly P. Duvall distinguished herself by outstanding achievement while serving as Inpatient Mental Health Technician, 6T, 959th Inpatient Squadron, 959th Medical Group, Brooke Army Medical Center, Joint Base San Antonio - Fort Sam Houston, Texas. During this period, Airman Duvall's outstanding professional skill, knowledge, and leadership contributed to the success of the 959th Medical Group mission as she provided mental health services to over 240,000 military beneficiaries. She conducted over 120 patient admissions, facilitated 23 psycho educational groups, and oversaw the successful management of 37 high acuity patients. In addition, Airman Duvall was hand selected as a Prevention and Management of Disruptive Behavior (PMDB) instructor to train over 70 future patient advocates, earning recognition by the Joint Base San Antonio's Defense Health Agency Branch Chief as a "Professional Performer". Further, she corrected six key inspection items and updated a series of local instructions, playing a crucial role in meeting 6T's 2021 Joint Commission Accreditation requirements. The distinctive accomplishments of Airman Duvall reflect credit upon herself, the 959th Inpatient Squadron and the United States Air Force.
Mental Health Supervisor
Staff Sergeant Robert B. Gilliam distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Mental Health Supervisor, 8th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron (OMRS), 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea. During this period, Sergeant Gilliam led a 13-member Mental Health team which assessed 37 service members, mitigated 12 specialty care referrals, and counseled more than 400 Airmen for suicide prevention, securing the highest readiness rate in PACAF. Moreover, he partnered with seven organizations and coordinated transport for five at-risk personnel to CONUS hospitals in 72 hours, averting possible loss of life. In addition, he was selected by the Career Field Manager to participate in the Primary Air Force Specialty Code (PAFSC) Career Development Course revision. He leveraged his 18 college credits to modernize upgrade training, increasing career progression and FOC for over one thousand technicians across 76 Military Treatment Facilities. Further, he rectified a 2-year duress alarm AFI discrepancy by restructuring the response to threats of violence protocols and orchestrating training with Security Forces for 172 personnel, fulfilling the mandated MICT biennial requirement and ensuring safety and protection for more than three thousand ROK and Air Force personnel. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Gilliam reflect credit upon himself, the 8th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron and the United States Air Force.
Mental Health Technician
Technical Sergeant Ethan A. Aldaco distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Mental Health Technician, 439th AeroMedical Staging Squadron, 439th Air Wing, Westover Air Reserve Base, Massachusetts. During this period, the professional skill, leadership, and ceaseless efforts of Sergeant Aldaco contributed to the effectiveness and success of Air Force mental health services. He demonstrated a history of service, from escorting patients in a crisis, counseling Junior Enlisted Airmen back from deployment, and training mental health staff members on the duress alarm system. In addition, he analyzed more than forty outpatient records for critical mental health information and completed more than one hundred background clearances for the Family Advocacy Office, improving situational awareness and efficiency in hiring. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Aldaco reflect credit upon himself, the 439th AeroMedical Staging Squadron and the United States Air Force.
Mental Health Technician
Staff Sergeant Adrian E. Aguayo distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Mental Health Technician, 319th Medical Operations Squadron, 319th Medical Group, Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. During this period, Sergeant Aguayo was tasked with implementing the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM) program and established the program within one week of completing training, exceeding the Department of Defense deadline. In addition, he briefed over 300 members on crucial mental health coping skills and debriefed 30 members following a tragic suicide, increasing psychological and mission resiliency. Moreover, as the Flight Government Purchase Card Approving Offical, he oversaw over sixty thousand dollars in purchases in support of outreach efforts for 1800 installation members. Finally, his attention to detail and meticulous administrative oversight contributed to the Behavioral Health Flight rating of Outstanding during the Health Services Inspection and the Medical Group's rating of Excellent during the Operational Readiness Inspection. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Aguayo reflect credit upon himself, the 319th Medical Operations Squadron and the United States Air Force.
Mental Health Technician
Senior Airman Heather M. Foster distinguished herself by meritorious service while serving as Mental Health Technician, 436th Medical Operations Squadron, 436th Medical Group, 436th Airlift Wing, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. During this period, Airman Foster delivered over 200 Wing level briefings on a variety of mental health services. She briefed more than 380 Airmen, younger than 25 years old, on alcohol abuse and screened an additional 110 members, leading to her being named the Lewis w. Dunlap Airman of the Year. In addition, she successfully triaged over 80 mental and substance abuse patients, providing accurate analysis, relevant treatment, and achieving an eighty percent return to duty rate. Furthermore, she was selected to brief the Health Services Inspector General, the Air Mobility Command Surgeon General, and the Commander In Chief Installation Excellence Award team on critical medical group and mental health services. Her efforts directly contributed to the Mental Health Flight's Inspector General rating of Outstanding and Dover Air Force Base receiving the Commander In Chief Installation Excellence Award for Air Mobility Command. The distinctive accomplishments of Airman Foster reflect credit upon herself, the 436th Medical Operations Squadron and the United States Air Force.
NCOIC, Combat Stress Clinic Afghanistan
Staff Sergeant Randal A. Marshall distinguished himself by meritorious service in the performance of outstanding service to the United States as Noncommissioned Officer in Charge at Forward Operating Base Fenty Combat Stress Clinic Afghanistan from 10 August 2012 to 13 September 2013. During this period, he served as the only forward deployed Air Force Mental Health technician, covering six Areas of Operation. Sergeant Marshall was hailed by his local command after expertly treating a Soldier endorsing suicidal and homicidal intent, partnering with providers for follow up care. His efforts resulted in preserving the life of the Soldier, his superior officer, and ultimately getting the Soldier the help he needed. Sergeant Marshall supported two providers in addition to his duties as clinic NCOIC and helped coordinate technician coverage and provider assistance in the clinic of Air Force and Army providers, balancing two sets of regulations. Additionally, Sergeant Marshall performed 50 combat stress missions outside the wire in support of 25 Forward Operating Bases (FOB) and Combat Outposts (COP) serving approximately 35,000 Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, and Airmen. Moreover, he spent over 100 hours in battlefield circulation, positioning himself as a familiar and known resource for times of crisis. Finally, he volunteered to assist with emergency resupply under combat conditions for outposts under direct assault, strengthening bonds with Soldiers, and ensuring long term mission sustainment. His devoted performance was vital to operations for Coalition forces and civilian personnel resulting in 100 percent return to duty. Sergeant Marshall's actions reflect great credit upon himself, Task Force Medical Afghanistan, and the United States Air Force.
Mental Health Supervisor
Staff Sergeant Lauri S. Denton distinguished herself by meritorious service while serving as Mental Health Supervisor, 48th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, 48th Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom. During this period, Sergeant Denton supported 189 patients at the RAF Lakenheath Alcohol Drug Abuse and Treatment Clinic, providing care for RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall, and RAF Feltwell, resulting in a twelve percent reduction in alcohol related incidents. Additionally, she managed the Mental Health Flight budget of 23,000 dollars and acquired critical personal protective equipment for the first time, improving safety for patients and staff. Further, she served as the Mental Health Clinic Personnel Reliability Assurance Program monitor, eliminating a three month backlog in just 30 days. Moreover, she was selected as the Mental Health Clinic NCOIC and was also chosen for the Wing Inspection Team, where she was critical to five inspections. Finally, her dedication was key to the Mental Health OIC winning Officer of the Quarter and RAF Lakenheath winning the Commander in Chief award. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Denton reflect credit upon herself, the 48th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron and the United States Air Force.
Mental Health Flight Commander
Major Zachary Y. Thompson distinguished himself in the performance of outstanding service to the United States as Mental Health Flight Commander, 31st Medical Operations Squadron, 31st Medical Group, 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano Air Base, Italy. During this period, Major Thompson led a 21-member team in the delivery of behavioral health care services to over 9,000 joint service members and their families. Faced with an outpatient clinic decimated by multiple provider and technician deployments, he reorganized three programs and 123 clinic functions, piloting the Mental Health Flight from a previous Health Services Inspection rating of "Satisfactory" to "Outstanding". Additionally, as Personnel Reliability Program manager, he revised clinic surety processes, resulting in "Excellent" Defense Threat Reduction Agency and "Outstanding" Nuclear Surety inspection ratings. Furthermore, Major Thompson deployed in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, and treated over 4,000 joint service members at seven remote Forward Operating Bases. Finally, his efforts were integral to the 31st Medical Group capturing the Air Force Medical Service Top Performing Overseas Hospital, as well as the Commander in Chief's Installation Excellence for Special Recognition awards. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Major Thompson reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
Commander, Mental Health Flight
Major Chelsea Arnold distingished herself by outstanding achievement as Commander, Mental Health Flight, 20th Medical Operations Squadron, 20th Medical Group, 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. During this period, the outstanding professional skill, leadership, and ceaseless efforts of Major Arnold resulted in significant contributions to the effectiveness and success of the Unit Compliance Inspection resulting in an unprecedented 99.1 percent rating. In addition, Major Arnold accepted a short-notice back-fill deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Her leadership and expeditious management was indispensable to meeting a six week deadline to accomplish Suicide Prevention Training for 3300 Fighter Wing and 2500 Geographically Separated Unit personnel. The distinctive accomplishments of Major Arnold reflect credit upon herself, the 20th Medical Operations Squadron and the United States Air Force.
NCOIC, Mental Health Flight
Technical Sergeant Phillip B. Beserra distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as NCOIC, Mental Health Flight, 92d Medical Operations Squadron, Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington. During this period, Sergeant Beserra served as Traumatic Stress Response Team Chief for 12 months and authored the first 92d Wing inject and Operating Instruction which was used to train 20 new team members. In addition, he implemented the first Air Mobility Command BATTLEMIND program and debriefed 70 redeployers. Moreover, Sergeant Beserra developed the 92d Wing suicide and violence prevention program which reduced man hours and led to a fifty percent increase in trained Squadron Representatives. Further, he was selected to serve as the base Victims support liaison and coordinated follow up treatment for three sexual assault cases. Finally, he established the first 92d Wing Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics testing center where more than 500 deployers were evaluated for brain injuries. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Beserra reflect credit upon himself, the 92d Medical Operations Squadron and the United States Air Force.
Staff Psychologist
Major Lisa D. Goldberg distinguished herself in the performance of outstanding service to the United States as Staff Psychologist, 48th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, 48th Medical Group, 48th Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England. During this period, Major Goldberg provided comprehensive mental health prevention, treatment, and consultation services to three installations in support of 35,000 potiential beneficiaries. She completed 1,680 mental health encounters averting $80,000 in network care costs, and provided 1,422 after hours crisis support and managed 55 high risk patients with zero deaths. She championed and revitalized the Mental Health Clinic's group pyschotherapy program for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, accelerating access to evidence-based psychotherapeutic treatment by 33%, and training staff to deliver the protocols to ensure effective continuity for the program. Major Goldberg led the Group's Biomedical Sciences Corps Week, securing over $400 in funding and executing 10 events to promote leadership development, mentorship, and networking for 47 officers. As alternate Family Advocacy Officer, she supervised 12 personnel to sustain five critical domestic violence and child abuse prevention and intervention programs for four Wings on behalf of the Family Advocacy Officer. Finally, Major Goldberg oversaw the Mental Health Flight's Transgender Care Program, providing subject matter expertise to healthcare providers across the Medical Group to ensure compassionate care for 27 patients receiving gender transition medical care. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Major Goldberg reflect great credit upon herself and the United States Air Force.
OIC, Emergency Post-Traumatic Mental Health Assessment
Major Jacob P. Larsen distinguished himself by outstanding achievement while serving as Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and high-yield Explosives Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP) physician, 156th Medical Group, 156th Airlift Wing, Muniz Air National Guard Base, Carolina, Puerto Rico. During this period, Major Larsen served as the officer in charge of the two day Emergency Post-Traumatic Mental Health Assessment of the 156th Airlift Wing Maintenance Group after the unfortunate crash of one of their carriers in Savannah, Georgia in May, 2018. Major Larsen worked with and directed four other health care professionals to ensure the mental well being of the affected Airmen. He personally coordinated on-the-spot pastoral and psychological help for those in need of such services. Due to his ceaseless efforts, leadership, and professional skill, 154 Airmen, over ninety five percent of the Maintenance Group, were adequately evaluated. The remaining five percent were identified and further assisted after they reached Muniz Air Force Base. After consolidating efforts with his counterpart in Operations, he collected all the information needed to prepare statistics and recommendations that ultimately lead to a comprehensive after action report. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Major Larsen reflect great credit upon himself, the 156th Medical Group and the United States Air Force.