Webmaster selected by AFSA as Airman of Year for 2006

  • Published
  • By Valerie Mullett
  • 341st Space Wing Public Affairs Office
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  The Air Force Sergeants Association Big Sky Chapter 1156 has selected Senior Airman Brandon Pettersen as their 2007 First Term Airman of the Year. Airman Pettersen will now go on to represent the organization at the divisional level, which comprises the entire West coast region, in competition in Colorado. 

AFSA is an organization that is strictly devoted to the enlisted corps and its sole purpose is to increase the quality of life, through various means, of enlisted Air Force members. 
Airman Pettersen has been part of the organization since September 2005. This year, he served the local chapter in the role of membership recruiter where he earned national recognition for signing up 105 new members. 

The Boston native stays busy in his 341st Communications Squadron position as the base Web master for the internal Web site. He is the most junior wing Web master in the command, according to his award package. The computer engineering major is self-taught with more than 100 hours on the dreamweaver software program, where he has provided more than 2,000 Web updates with zero downtime to the service. Formally, he has attended the 42-hour Internet security accreditation course and is the 341st Space Wing's only certified official to conduct vulnerability scans. 

"His technical expertise is unmatched," said Maj. William Belei, 341st CS commander.  "He has been 'by-name' requested to troubleshoot and resolve communications issues for seven visiting dignitaries." 

Locally, he has touched the Airmen Leadership School by providing expertise invaluable to their operations. 

He saved the ALS an estimated $8,000 annually by upgrading their antiquated training program to a state-of-the-art paperless program. 

And he has numerous other accomplishments to his credit, according to his award package. 

In his short Air Force career of just over three years, this outdoors sportsman has managed to become exposed to several different elements of what he hopes to make a 20-year career. 

Besides all the in-house accomplishments he's achieved, he filled a short notice five-month Security Forces billet to Ali Air Base, Iraq, where the CS commander there called on his talents to help design and install $600,000 network upgrade project. He also rebuilt 10 computer systems and established network connectivity in the joint forces recreation center, among other undertakings based on his communications expertise. 

"My deployment has been the proudest moment of my career, to date," the 4-wheeling fan said. "It gave me a sense of purpose. I felt what it was like to be 'in' the mission and it helped me gain respect for the total Air Force picture." 

He credits his supervisor, Staff Sgt. Jesse Cook, with having the most influence so far on his military posture. 

"He taught me how to be a good Airmen - up and down," the Web master said. "He's prior Navy and I think they are more disciplined. So that has rubbed off on me."
When he's not at work, studying towards his degree or off recruiting for the AFSA, Airmen Pettersen likes to ski in the winter, and hike and camp in the summer. He likes the traditional sports, too, like football and baseball. And he is also a musician who enjoys playing his drums every chance he gets. 

So who said there's nothing to do at Malmstrom? This is one Airman who can teach you how to stay busy and have fun doing it.