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And the 2017 Air National Guard Safety Award Goes to…

  • Published
  • By by Tech Sgt. Anthony Ballard
  • 145th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
The National Guard Bureau recently selected Senior Master Sgt. Kelly Dover, 145th Airlift Wing Occupational Safety Manager, for the esteemed 2017 Air National Guard Outstanding Individual Occupational Safety Award. The annual award is only given to seven individuals within the Air National Guard and Dover earned this award for his unparalleled guidance and contributions to the unit.

“The military is a risky business, but it doesn’t mean it has to be unsafe,” Dover said. “We train personnel on safety to prevent incidents from occurring, which is the ultimate goal for the safety shop.” 

Dover genuinely cares about the safety of all personnel on the base and emphasizes its importance. Due to his leadership and impeccable guidance, it has been over a year since a safety incident on the base has occurred. 

“We are at the crossroads of going from one mission to another. We are technically at the most unsafe period of time we could be at,” said Col. Troy Gerock, Commander of the 145 Airlift Wing.

This is a critical time for the base due to the transition from the C-130 Hercules aircraft to the C-17 Globemaster III aircraft and safety is at the core of that transition. Dover developed innovative training safety programs that prevented safety mishaps to support this transition. 

“Having a safety team is paramount, and Dover is the linchpin of the safety office. He is the rock of that organization and this award verifies everything we’ve known about Dover over the years,” said Gerock.

Dover not only cares about safety, but he also sets the example for self-improvement for his Airmen. He is a Certified Safety Professional and holds a Master’s degree. 

“He pushes me to better myself and has encouraged me to take various safety classes during my time here,” said his co-worker, Tech Sgt. Christopher Earp, 145th Airlift Wing. Earp also stated, “He’s the type of person you want to do a good job for because of his accomplishments and leadership.”

When asked why Dover deserved this award, Earp said “He’s been doing this for years and it solidified his efforts. I’m proud to work in the safety office and am lucky to have a supervisor like him.”