News

Wing historian 'best of the best' in Reserve command

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Lisa Moody
  • 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. --  Tech. Sgt. Jennifer de Lucia, 446th Airlift Wing historian, received the 2009 Air Force Reserve Command Wing History Award April 2.

A traditional Reservist, the award recognizes her work recounting the wing's accomplishments in the 2007 calendar year. Her efforts involve continuously researching and methodically recording information such as training missions, deployments, and personal experiences over time.

"Tech. Sgt Jennifer de Lucia is most deserving of this award," said Betty Kennedy, AFRC Director for Historical Services. "She has provided an outstanding periodic history. Being selected for this award means she is the 'best of the best' in the history business. It required a lot of extra personal effort--service to her unit and the Air Force Reserve Command before herself."

Sergeant de Lucia is an office of one, but she considers all Reservists in the wing as sources for her history.

"I couldn't do it without everybody's input," said Sergeant de Lucia. "I'm a collection point for all of the information that captures our 446th legacy and what we leave behind for our future Airmen," said Sergeant de Lucia. "What we do has an impact on future generations."

Not only did Sergeant de Lucia provide the first recorded history for the 446th Airlift Wing since 1999 and win an award, she completed two formal historian training programs while conducting her research.

"I joined the historian career field in November 2007, but didn't get back from school until February 2008," said Sergeant de Lucia. "When I first walked into the office, it was a little overwhelming because everything was in boxes. Our building had just undergone a renovation."

Faced with the task of writing the current history of the wing, Sergeant de Lucia takes a side trip here and there to compile the histories for the missing 2000 through 2006 years.

"Those were really important years following 9/11. That's also when the C-17 bed down here happened. I'm looking to get my hands on any information from those years that will help me write those histories," the Mammoth Spring, Ark., native said.

Significant events, a chronology, and honors and lineage all go into creating a year's history.

"Sergeant de Lucia takes all of the work we accomplish and creates an accurate and coherent narrative that is critical to documenting our contributions to the Air Force and the global war on terror," said Lt. Col. Barbara Henson, 446th AW executive officer.

"Sergeant de Lucia's dedication and service contributes greatly toward restoring the wing's history," said Col. William Flanigan, 446th AW commander. "Her work greatly highlights the historical impact of the wing's many accomplishments at home and abroad and provides a chronicle of our unit's proud legacy," he said.

When she's not compiling data and stacking records, the 15-year veteran is also a civilian program analyst, maintaining the manning and training for all C-17 pilots with the 62nd Operations Group aircrew training at McChord.