What do consider to be your greatest professional accomplishment (military or civilian)?

My Medal of Valor for preventing a Vietnam vet from burning himself, 4 police officers (including myself) and 6 firefighters to death. He was really pissed I prevented him from completing his act.

Medal of Valor

During my time in the US military, I was in a supervisory position eight & 1/2 years. No one was severely injured or died. During my civilian career, I was in a supervisory position 22 years. No one was severely injured or killed. I received meritorious commendations for duty above and beyond while serving in the military and awards for employee and supervisor of the month and year and best idea of the year that saved hundreds of thousands of dollars of lost product and productivity at the nations largest commercial bakery. I was totally pleased with my personal accolades but what brought me the best satisfaction and what I am most proud of is while getting the mission accomplished well (both military & civilian), I was able to do this without severe injury or death to anyone entrusted to me. I thank my "crews" for helping me make this happen.

My greatest accomplishment in 1980 during peacetime after studying with a friend every day was passing and receiving by E.I.B!

FAILING to send a NO CODE launch command by RAPCOM Launch command of 390th Strategic Missile Wing Squadrons 570 and 571 and start World War III.

Probably the greatest facility achievement for me was and outstanding ORI rating we received back in the early 90's. We were told we were the first ever Air Traffic Control facility in SAC to pass an ORI with not a single write-up, finding, or deficiency. We were actually recognized for several of the things we were doing to improve Training and Readiness. At the time I was Training Manager at Barksdale AFB Tower, and Base Air Traffic Control Operational Readiness Inspector. So it was my job to ensure not only all the paperwork was correct but to also evaluate and correct any procedures that were not IAW Regs, Manuals and Ops Letters.

Training Records and Daily Logs are two things that the ORI Teams nit pick down to the last tittle. If you don't dot that "i" or cross that "t" they will find it, and it is a write up. No matter how small. I know this is pales in comparison to what many have done, but I put in a lot of 16 to 19 hour days in preparation. Of course the Chief got all the glory, but our Commander and I knew who did all the work, that was the important part of it.

I think my greatest professional accomplishment to this point was simply making E-7 in just over 9 years. It has set me up to be a SNCO where I feel like I finally have the stripes to really be able to make things happen & take care of my people. Being a Wing Annual Awards winner is probably a close second & definitely contributed to the first.

This is a bit different for sure, but I think my greatest accomplishment occurred in Korea. For two years I volunteered at the Seoul Zoo during whenever I could and worked with their elephants. With my wife's help we revamped their whole program and set up a whole new care system for the animals. We got an award from the Mayor of Seoul, written up in Stars and Stripes, a lot of Korean newspapers, and all three Korean television networks.

My greatest professional accomplishment -- I would have to say that while I was working as a fast food manager (after I got P-3'd by the Army), I convinced 4 of my employees to enlist, rather than stay on the minimum wage-gang banger lifestyle they were headed for.