Nominated by
U.S. Air Forces in Europe

SMSgt Thomas O. McConnell is a Munitions Material Superintendent with the 18th Munitions Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan. At the time of his nomination he was assigned to the 39th Maintenance Squadron, Incirlik AB, Turkey.

He directed all munitions support for 3,700 sorties during one operation, resulting in the destruction of 53 Iraqi air defense sites. His intensive training preparations for a USAFE Inspector General nuclear surety inspection was credited with zero discrepancies. He also earned praise for authoring emergency weapons disable relay procedures.

He directed shipment of 1,750 short tons of classified arms to Afghanistan. His responsibility included 1,420 munitions valued at $394 million and 43 custodial accounts valued at $80 million distributed over five geographically separated units with 100 percent accuracy. He established a computer repair lab, reducing equipment turn-around times by 30 percent. By recycling parts, he saved $5,000.

Sergeant McConnell, 41, is from Unionville, Tennessee. He entered the Air Force in 1979, completed technical training in Munitions Systems and has never left the career field. Duty stations have included Andersen AFB, Guam; Moody AFB, Georgia; Kadena AB, Japan; and Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. He arrived at Incirlik in 2000.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Management of Technical Operations from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and associate degrees in Management Studies from the University of Maryland and Munitions Systems Technology from the Community College of the Air Force.

He orchestrated visits and activities for 120 orphans and was president of the school PTA. His efforts helped establish a youth sports council and the base’s first POW/MIA ceremony.