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Finance Airman STEPs up to five stripes

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Sara Csurilla
  • 47th Flying Training Wing public affairs
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- --  "The wing commander told me to be here," whispered one Airman to another after being asked "What are we all here for?"

It was lunchtime on March 24 and dozens of people were anxiously waiting on the 47th Force Support Squadron's patio, ready to find out the answer to that one question.

Just as the crowd began to get restless Col. John Doucette, 47th Flying Training Wing commander, walked onto the patio with Col. Bruce Lovely, Air Education and Training Command director of manpower, personnel and services, by his side.

Then Colonel Doucette immediately began to speak to the crowd and announced Chief Master Sgt. Bruce Heinzen, 47th Flying Training Wing command chief, had received another assignment.

"I want to make sure his move goes smoothly," Colonel Doucette told Maj. John Hansen, 47th Comptroller Squadron commander. "I want him to have zero problems with finance. Who's your best finance representative?"

"Well, that would have to be Sergeant Cibak," Major Hansen answered.

So Colonel Doucette called Staff Sergeant Lori Cibak, financial analyst with the 47th CPTS, to the front of the crowd. He asked her a couple casual questions like how she felt about being the command chief's personal finance assistant, but he then told her she didn't have enough rank for the job he wanted her to do.

"But we can fix that," he said, and then turned to the crowd and said, "Ladies and gentlemen of Laughlin, you are looking at the Air Force's newest technical sergeant." Colonel Doucette continued as he turned to the former staff sergeant and said, "Sergeant Cibak, Gen. Stephen Lorenz, AETC commander, has chosen you to be immediately STEP promoted to the rank of technical sergeant."

As soon as she realized what the commander actually said, Sergeant Cibak's eyes welled up with tears and she kept the expression of shock and surprise on her face as the crowd clapped and cheered.

After the crowd quieted down, Colonel Doucette had Major Hansen come to the front and on the count of three, both commanders punched on her fifth stripe.

"I am so happy that Sergeant Cibak got this award," said Maj. Hansen. "She truly deserves it. She is an amazing NCO and has helped our squadron in so many ways like creating Laughlin's first-ever Quality Assurance Plan and ultimately ensuring the squadron was set weeks before an Operational Readiness Inspection. She's also exceptional at her job and motivated for everything she does, all in addition to the hundreds of hours of personal time she has volunteered."

After being presented with her new rank, Sergeant Cibak learned Major Hansen had been secretly working on a Stripes for Exceptional Performers, promotion package for her with the help of Laughlin's first sergeants, supervisors and fellow Airmen for the past year.

The package Major Hansen submitted included Sergeant Cibak's Enlisted Performance Reports and physical training scores from the past five years, all of her accomplishments including her leadership and job performance, her significant self improvements and her base and community involvement.

"It was all a huge surprise to me," said Sergeant Cibak who had been a staff sergeant since 2002. "I had no idea I had been considered for the promotion so it took me completely off guard, but I'm extremely thankful Major Hansen saw something in me to put in all of that time and effort he did."