Master Sgt. Sandra Plentzas receives the John L. Levitow Award

  • Published
  • By Nyra Stump
  • 944th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  A 944th Fighter Wing member was recently awarded the John Levitow Award following graduation from Senior NCO Academy March 11.

Master Sgt. Sandra Plentzas, 944th FW chaplain assistant, was selected as the most outstanding distinguished graduate out of 430 students.

The Levitow Award is the highest honor is presented to a graduate of Air Force Enlisted Professional Military Education. Selection for the award is based on academic performance and assignment of points by peers and instructors and it is presented to the student who has displayed all the characteristics of an effective leader.

"I have learned so much from this experience," Sergeant Plentzas said. "To be able to lead, inspire and motivate, I wish I had these tools before."

In the announcement message sent by the Air Force Reserve Command's Command Chief, Chief Master Sgt. Dale Badgett, he emphasized, "You can be very proud of the way she represented the 944th, 10th Air Force and AFRC. She is definitely a future senior leader."

The 944th Fighter Wing commander echoed the chief's comments.

"This is a tremendous accomplishment," said Col. Jose Monteagudo. "You make us proud."

Of the 430 students in Senior NCO Academy Class 11B, four were nominated for the John L. Levitow Award.

Senior Master Sgt. Ryan T. Evans, 56th Logistics Readiness Squadron member, and Master Sgt. Plentzas represented Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., as two of the four nominees.

"Just to be nominated for such a prestigious award at that level is a tremendous accomplishment, and I thought it was great that Team Luke was so well represented," Sergeant Plentzas said. "I was honored to be in the company of Senior Master Sergeant Evans and the other nominees."

"I can't stress how important PME is, especially for Reservists," Sergeant Plentzas said. "We fight right alongside Active Duty, Guardsmen, other Reservists, and sister services when deployed, so it is imperative we are prepared to be effective leaders."

Sergeant Plentzas explained that she felt unprepared for leadership during her first deployment.

"Thankfully, we pulled together and got the job done, but I still feel bad that I didn't have the tools I needed in time to be the leader that was needed," she said.
Sergeant Plentzas felt proud to represent the 944th FW and AFRC at Senior NCO Academy.

"I am hopeful that any exposure gained from this can be used to encourage more Reservists to aggressively pursue PME, especially in-resident PME," she said. "We owe it to ourselves, the mission, but especially those whom we will lead, to have the tools to be successful."