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Career Advisor of the Year finds she won on AF link

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kasey Zickmund
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  While Web surfing recently, a senior non-commissioned officer from the 18th Medical Support Squadron here discovered a joyful surprise: She won!

Senior Master Sgt. Yvonne Miller, 18th MDSS superintendent, went to Air Force Link and found out accidentally that she was named "Career Advisor of the Year" after seeing a news story headline that read "Air Force announces mission support award winners for 2006."

When she went into work she found her e-mail inbox filled with more than 30 messages of congratulations from previous commanders and friends.

"As a career advisor you have to get your name out there and let people know you are there to help them," said Sergeant Miller. "The big reason why I think that I won is because I would not turn anyone away even if they were National Guard, civilians, or dependent spouses."

The senior NCO went to commander's calls, guard mounts, and started getting in the base newspaper to people know she was there to help them decide what to do with their career.

"I would get asked a lot of questions and some of them were weird, but if I didn't know the answers I would always find out," said Sergeant Miller.

She also taught professional NCO development courses, and was in charge of the First Term Airmen Center.

"I really enjoyed working at FTAC because I had the chance to shape young airmen and let them know more about the benefits the Air Force has to offer," said the 21 year veteran.

Sergeant Miller says what motivates her is getting e-mails from people she helped five, 10, or even 15 years ago asking for assistance. Most return because she was such great help the first time.

For those wanting to follow her footsteps she said, "Go above and beyond the standards. I would not have gotten here if it wasn't for the people around me because no one can do it alone."