Air Force officials announce 2012 weather awards Published March 20, 2013 WASHINGTON -- Air Force officials have released the 2012 Air Force Weather Awards. Individual Awards: AIR FORCE WEATHER FIELD GRADE OFFICER OF THE YEAR: Maj. Jeremy Alexander, 15 OWS, Scott AFB, Ill. AIR FORCE WEATHER COMPANY GRADE OFFICER OF THE YEAR: 1st Lt. Benjamin Wood, 5 OSS/OSW, Minot AFB, N.D. AIR FORCE WEATHER CIVILIAN OF THE YEAR: Mr. Jeff Fries, 1 WXG, Offutt AFB, Neb. AIR FORCE SENIOR NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER OF THE YEAR: Senior Master Sgt. Taylor Jacobs III, AF/A30-W, Pentagon, Washington D.C. AIR FORCE NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER OF THE YEAR: Tech Sgt. Mitchell Valentine, 47 OSS/OSW, Laughlin AFB, Texas AIR FORCE WEATHER AIRMAN OF THE YEAR: Senior Airman Derrick Richards, 17 OWS, JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii AIR FORCE BATTLEFIELD WEATHER COMPANY GRADE OFFICER OF THE YEAR: Capt. Kalen Knippling, 1 WS, JB Lewis-McChord, Wash. AIR FORCE BATTLEFIELD WEATHER SENIOR NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER OF THE YEAR: Master Sgt. Eric Allen, Det. 1, 7 WS, Wiesbaden, Germany AIR FORCE BATTLEFIELD WEATHER NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER OF THE YEAR: Staff Sgt. Dominick Martin, 18 WS, Fort Bragg, N.C. AIR FORCE BATTLEFIELD WEATHER AIRMAN OF THE YEAR: Senior Airman Samual Benner, 607 WS, Seoul, South Korea ARC WEATHER COMPANY GRADE OFFICER OF THE YEAR: Capt. Sean Gibbons, 209 WF, Austin, Texas (ANG) ARC WEATHER SENIOR NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER OF THE YEAR: Master Sgt. Kevin Atkins, 121 WF, Andrews AFB, Md. (ANG) ARC WEATHER NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER OF THE YEAR: Tech. Sgt. Robert Pepe, 5 OWF/WXF, Shaw AFB, S.C. (AFRC) ARC WEATHER AIRMAN OF THE YEAR: Senior Airman Joshua Lee, 5 OWF/WXF, Shaw AFB, S.C. (AFRC) Organizational and Team Awards: OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT IN WEATHER OPERATIONS: Mr. Luke Peffers, AFTAC/TM, Patrick AFB, Fla. OUTSTANDING OPERATIONAL WEATHER SQUADRON: 15th Operational Weather Squadron, Scott AFB, Ill. OUTSTANDING BATTLEFIELD WEATHER SUPPORT UNIT: 2d Combat Weather Systems Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla. OUTSTANDING AIR FORCE WEATHER ORGANIZATION (Below Squadron Level): Aviation Tactics Evaluations Group, J2WX, Ft. Bragg, N.C. OUTSTANDING AIR FORCE RESERVE COMPONENT WEATHER FLIGHT: 125 Special Tactics Squadron/Special Weather Operations Weather Team, Portland, Ore. (ANG) OUTSTANDING AIR FORCE SPACE WEATHER ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR: 21st Operations Support Squadron/Weather Flight, Peterson AFB, Colo.