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Wing sergeant among Air Force's 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year

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  • 419th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Hill Air Force Base, UT --  An Air Force reservist from the 419th Fighter Wing has been named one of the Air Force's 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2008.

Staff Sgt. Eric Eberhard is an explosive ordnance disposal specialist with the wing's civil engineer squadron. Earlier this year, he was named Air Force Reserve Command NCO of the Year.

Sergeant Eberhard is credited with saving the life of his team leader while deployed to Gardez, Afghanistan, in Dec. 2007. 

When an Improvised Explosive Device went off the morning of Dec. 7, Sergeant Eberhard reacted quickly by ensuring the area was clear of additional IEDs before aiding medics as they tended to the wounded Airmen. He reported the incident and helped move his comrade into a helicopter.

While in Afghanistan, Sergeant Eberhard provided EOD support to the second busiest IED area in the region. He destroyed 23 IEDs hidden along Army supply routes, ensuring critical supplies made it to Afghanistan coalition bases. He expertly maneuvered his vehicle from the kill zone during an ambush preventing three rocket propelled grenade hits, saving personnel and critical convoy assets.

He served in the Marine Corps Reserve for eight years before joining the Air Force Reserve. Although he is finishing a degree in architecture from the University of Utah, his choice for a military career was EOD. He graduated from the joint service course in 2005 and performed duty at the White House in support of the president.

An Air Force selection board at the Air Force Personnel Center at Randolph AFB, Texas, considered 33 nominees who represented major commands, direct reporting units, field operating agencies and Air Staff agencies. The board selected the 12 based on superior leadership, job performance and personal achievements.

The nominees are authorized to wear the Outstanding Airman of the Year ribbon, while the 12 winners will wear the bronze service star device on the ribbon. The winners will also wear the Outstanding Airman of the Year Badge for one year from the date of formal presentation.

The Air Force Association will honor Sergeant Eberhard and his fellow Outstanding Airmen during its Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition in Washington, D.C., this September. The Airmen will also serve as members of the AFA's enlisted advisory council for the next year.

(An Air Force Reserve Command News Service Article contributed to this story)