AMC SAFETY NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER OF THE YEAR AWARD
By STAFF WRITER
TSGT ZACHARY K. HERICK
734 AMS, ANDERSEN AFB, GUAM
TSGT ZACHARY K. HERICK, Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, has been announced as the winner of the Air Mobility Command Safety Noncommissioned Officer of the Year Award for 2023.
As the Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, he directed a Wing $250 million Category 4 typhoon recovery operation. He led 30 Airmen through clean-up operations to support airfield recovery and the removal of 10,000 pounds of debris, expediting the reopening of the airfield less than 34 hours after impact to usher in $7 million in aid. He identified risk to 204 personnel following the Category 4 typhoon and directed a $76,000 protective equipment purchase for 866 items for recovery.
Additionally, Herick drove a $1.2 million Class B Safety Investigation Board, preserving 70 pieces of evidence, coordinating 14 interviews, and supporting investigation team needs. Such actions propelled $168 million in asset return plus two local policy and two Technical Order change recommendations.
Herick protected 140 transient aircraft, 38 Bomber Task Force missions, and one Global Large-Scale Exercise, hosting six allies and 30 different platforms that executed 4,000 missions. He aced 120 credit hours of an Occupational Safety Bachelor’s degree program, garnering a 3.8 GPA. Similarly, he coached two first-term Airmen through advanced academic degree initiations and the financial assistance process. He led 35 incoming personnel through local indoctrination briefings covering environment, water, heat-related, and living condition hazards. His personalized briefs boosted unit cohesion, driving a zero heat and water mishap rate for a 204-member squadron.
Herick also worked with 12 Navy personnel in pioneering the Air Force’s first Multi-Function “Purple Port.” He increased the unit’s safety program oversight by 67 percent, conducted 48 spot inspections, and mitigated eight hazards. Additionally, he investigated 17 potential mishaps with six validated reportable mishaps totaling $104,000 and 31 man-days lost.