Technical Sergeant Aubree (Hager) Peterman earns NCO of the Year Award for the Eighth Air Force

U.S. Air Force Technical Sergeant Aubree Peterman was recently awarded the 2016 NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer) of the Year for the Eighth Air Force. She is the daughter of Bob and Kristi Hager of Waukon and is currently stationed at Anderson Air Force base in Guam, along with her husband, Staff Sergeant Christopher Peterman, and their two children, Kaden (age 9) and Kinley (nearly two years old).

The award is bestowed upon the non-commissioned officer who "leads by example and showcases the excellence the Mighty Eighth (Air Force) strives for." Sgt. Peterman will now be competing for top NCO honors throughout the entire Air Force.
After graduating from Waukon High School in 2003, Peterman (then Hager) began Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas and has been assigned to several squadrons throughout the United States and the world during her nearly 14 years of military service. Her current assignment at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, where she has been since May 2016, includes the duties of being a Weapons Systems Controller, Assistant Team Chief for the Honor Guard and an Airman Dorm Leader, according to her U.S. Air Force biography.

Within those duties, Sgt. Peterman leads and supervises 34 detachment and deployed personnel on Continuous Bomber Presence rotations.  She instructs, upgrades and enforces standards, safety and surety while managing 243 pieces of Aerospace Ground Equipment valued at $6.5 million. Her leadership provides direct support for B-1, B-2, B-52 and Munitions Storage Areas for HHQ & PACOM OPLANs.

During her U.S. Air Force career, Peterman was first promoted to Staff Sergeant 1 in March 2009 before being promoted to Technical Sergeant 1 in October 2015. In addition to those promotions, she has received the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters.

She has also received the following awards among other achievements: 2006 20 MXG Knucklebuster Award, 2006 20 FW Ceremonial Guardsman of the Third Quarter, 2008 51 MXG S.H.A.R.P. Award, 2009 Pitsenbarger Award, 2010 5 MXG NCO of the Third Quarter, 2013 5 BW Outstanding Performer - Ex GLOBAL THUNDER and 2016 Team Andersen’s NCO of the Fourth Quarter.

The Eighth Air Force is one of two active duty numbered air forces in the Air Force Global Strike Command. Eighth Air Force, with headquarters at Barksdale AFB in the Bossier City/Shreveport, LA metro area, supports U.S. Joint Forces Command and is designated as U.S. Strategic Command's Task Force 204, providing on-alert, combat-ready forces to the president. The mission of "The Mighty Eighth" is to safeguard America's interests through strategic deterrence and global combat power.

Eighth Air Force controls long-range nuclear-capable bomber assets throughout the United States and overseas locations. Its flexible, conventional and nuclear deterrence mission provides the capability to deploy forces and engage enemy threats from home station or forward positioned, anywhere, any time. The Eighth Air Force motto is "Peace Through Strength."

The Eighth Air Force team consists of more than 16,000 active-duty Air National Guard and Reserve professionals operating and maintaining a variety of aircraft capable of deploying air power to any area of the world. This air power includes the heart of America's heavy bomber force: the B-2 Spirit and the B-52 Stratofortress. The Mighty Eighth's B-52 force consists of 76 bombers assigned to two active duty wings, the 2d Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana and the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB, North Dakota, and one reserve wing, the 307th Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. The B-2 force consists of 20 bombers assigned to the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, Missouri.