Kirtland sergeant selected as one of Air Force's best Airmen

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Staff Sgt. Jordan Bishopp, of the 377th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Branch here, received a phone call July 8, 2011, informing him of his selection as one of the Air Force's 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year.

The conference call came from Gen. Donald Hoffman, Air Force Materiel Command commander, Chief Master Sgt. Eric Jaren, AFMC command chief and Chief Master Sgt. Lee Thompson, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center and 377th Air Base Wing command chief. Bishopp is on temporary duty for pre-deployment training making the telephone call necessary to inform him of the award.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't initially excited when I found out," said Bishopp. "Being selected as one of the 12 OAY brings a lot of personal recognition. I'm still a little surprised today. However, more important than my personal feelings, I think being selected is great for the EOD career field as a whole. There are a lot of other EOD guys deserving of awards like this. I'm glad that I can represent them in this fashion."

The award period spans from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2010. Bishopp previously earned Airman of the Year honors for both Kirtland Air Force Base and AFMC.

"I was excited for him, because it was well deserved," said Capt. Brandon Horii, 377 EOD commander. "He is the complete package. He has strong leadership and job knowledge, but also has done a lot toward his education and for the community."

During the year, Bishopp had a 192-day deployment to Operation Enduring Freedom where he participated in 60 route-clearing missions. Upon returning from Afghanistan, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for outstanding combat leadership.

"Regardless of the obstacles placed in front of him, Sergeant Bishopp always accomplishes the mission," said Master Sgt. Sean Gray, Bishopp's supervisor within the 377 EOD. "My first thought was how proud I was of him, but I wasn't too surprised. He's one of the best and is truly deserving of this recognition. He demands competence around him which raises the entire flight's ability to perform."

While at Kirtland AFB, Bishopp helped his unit earn an "excellent" rating during a recent inspection and was recognized as an outstanding performer. He completed 24 credits toward his bachelor's degree with a 4.0 grade point average. He was also active with the base and local community.

"I am very proud of the outstanding accomplishments by Sergeant Bishopp," said Col. Robert L. Maness, 377 ABW commander. "He epitomizes the best the Air Force has to offer. I am very happy for him and proud to have him as a member of the 377 ABW Tigers. This award recognizes all the hard work and sacrifices he has made."