TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Oklahoma -- One of the 507th Air Refueling Wing's own has been named the top noncommissioned officer in his field in the entire Air Force.
Tech. Sgt. Grady L. Epperly, a public affairs specialist, has been given the 2010 Staff Sgt. Christopher S. Frost Outstanding Communication NCO Award.
Lt. Col. Rich Curry, chief of public affairs for the 507th ARW, praised Epperly highly. "He is an outstanding Airman. We are very proud of him."
During his seven-month-long deployment as chief of media relations for Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, Epperly's leadership led to a 300% media relations increase. He facilitated more than 60 international media outlets, exposing the world to the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan mission.
Epperly was the first to see PA NCO, to identify and aggressively engage the Afghan media, a previously untapped market, informing a target audience of more than 30 million Afghanis.
He planned eight NATO/US media tours, including a first-ever tour with the nation of Pakistan, further informing people of the NTM-A mission.
Epperly managed more than 50 interviews with NATO and US military general officers. He also led more than 250 media engagements and 300 information queries.
His efforts also involved levels of the Afghan government, namely the Ministries of Defense and Information. His mentorship enabled ministry representatives to engage local and international media, setting the stage for a self-sustaining Afghan National Security Forces public affairs department.
Epperly also spent some time outside the wire. He commanded more than 100 such missions as a driver in convoys, facing threats such as improvised explosive devices, vehicle-borne IEDs, rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire.
He rapidly responded to the joint operations center during multiple RPG, VBIED and mortar attacks to ensure communication efforts could be maintained.
Although Epperly conducted media interviews and taught locals how to work with members of the media, he also spent some time on the air. He participated in several interviews which aired on the NBC Nightly News and on NBC's website, revealing the NTM-A mission to more than 60 million Americans.
Part of that mission, a volunteer community relations committee, was highlighted on NBC Nightly News' "Deployed Holiday Special." The VCR committee arranged for children's clothes and blankets to be sent from Oklahoma to Afghanistan for distribution to local Afghanis. Epperly also spent his after-duty hours creating clothing bags for Afghanis of all ages.