944 FW Produces Excellence

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Louis Vega Jr.
  • 944th Fighter Wing
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, ARIZ. --  The 944th Fighter Wing produced yet another 10th Air Force stand out. On March 22 during the Unit Training Assembly Commander's Call, Senior Airman Perla Tapia Cordero, 69th Fighter Squadron personnel journeyman, was notified that she had won the 10th AF Airman of the Year Award. She is the third Airman in a five year span that the 944th FW has sent up to 10th AF and come back a winner.

"I was shocked when I won Airman of the Year for the Wing and now to have won Airman of the Year for 10th AF it feels pretty amazing," said Tapia Cordero.

Though, her journey was filled with her share of disappointments, her superiors always believed in her and continued to create and submit packages on her behalf.

"I began to get discouraged," Tapia Cordero explained. "At one point I actually asked my supervisor, to stop wasting her time submitting the packages because I was never going to win. They obviously never listened to me and I'm glad they didn't because now I see the results. What's more, to have witnessed the time and effort my leadership put into those packages, it has motivated me to go above and beyond, to volunteer more on and off base, and take on more responsibilities."

Currently, Tapia Cordero is a full time student at Arizona State University and on course to graduate in spring 2015. Her goal is to obtain a bachelor's degree in secondary education with an emphasis in chemistry.

On top of going to school she works and does veteran to veteran volunteer work at a valley hospice facility. She is also a council member and outreach team liaison for her church. On the weekends, she spends time with family, friends and prepares for powerlifting competitions.

"Perla is the kind of troop that epitomizes the "Excellence in All We Do" core value, so she continued to be a stellar performer, regardless if she won or not," said Master Sgt. Jacqueline Flores, 69th Fighter Squadron personnel programs NCOIC, about her Airman. "Just like most stellar performers, she doesn't do what she does for recognition, that's just a nice byproduct."

Ultimately, Tapia Cordero's goal is to begin the commissioning process and find different ways to help the military and her civilian community.

When asked who she believes helped her in her success Tapia Cordero said, "This entire process couldn't have been accomplished if it wasn't for the 944th Fighter Wing. I want to send a special thanks to my leadership for all their hard work and most importantly my supervisor, MSgt Flores. If it wasn't for all of your determination this wouldn't have been possible. I would like to say thank you to my loving family for always supporting me in everything that I do."