Military Individual of the Year: Staff Sgt. Kerri Cole

  • Published
  • By Evan C. Lagasse
  • 102nd Intelligence Wing Public Affairs
FALMOUTH, Mass. --  Staff Sergeant Kerri L. Cole is the 102nd Intelligence Wing's "Outstanding Military Individual of the Year" for 2010. Sergeant Cole was selected for this award based on her excellent job performance, outstanding professionalism, leadership abilities, improvement efforts, military representation and community involvement.

Sergeant Cole is a traditional guardsman, serving one weekend a month and 15 training days per year, as a photographer with the 102nd Intelligence Wing's Public Affairs Office. When not in uniform, Sergeant Cole serves her country full-time as a federal civilian employee at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.

Cool under pressure, Sergeant Cole is often the "go-to" non-commissioned officer (NCO) sought out to rejuvenate programs struggling to reach their maximum potential. Her stellar improvements to the Seagull magazine, published monthly by the 102nd Intelligence Wing as a means to keep the Wing's employees and their family members informed of current news and events. This year, the Seagull magazine received second place honors at the Air National Guard level thanks to Sergeant Cole's steadfast efforts creatively designing each issue of the magazine resulting in an attention-grabbing military publication.

A skilled graphic designer, Sergeant Cole graciously donated hundreds of hours of her personal time to design numerous military coins. Two of her prestigious coin designs include a Legacy coin which commemorates the storied history of flying operations conducted by the 102nd Fighter Wing, and the 102nd Wing Commander's coin which is awarded to top performing Airmen for Integrity, Service and Excellence.

Sergeant Cole's passion for her community was demonstrated when she provided her design services, pro bono, to create a logo for a youth program in Providence, R.I., whose mission is to provide children with hope, enrichment, time, trust and opportunities in order to keep them on a path of success and achievement.

Most recently, Sergeant Cole was requested "by-name" to update the Air National Guard's exhibit at the Enlisted Heritage Hall located on Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Alabama. Over the course of several months, Sergeant Cole conducted research, travelled to and from Alabama, wrote, edited and re-wrote historical information for the display, sorted through hundreds of historical photographs and exceeded the wildest imaginations of the Enlisted Heritage Hall staff by not only updating the exhibit, but doing so in a manner that made the display easily updatable by the Heritage Hall staff in the future. Her efforts made a lasting impact that will be observed by the Enlisted Heritage Hall's tens of thousands of annual visitors for decades to come.

The 102nd Intelligence Wing is proud to present Staff Sgt. Kerri L. Cole as its Outstanding Military Individual of the Year - 2010.