Pride of the Pack: Staff Sergeant Omar Jones

  • Published
  • By Alice Moore
  • 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
KUNSAN AIR BASE, South Korea --  Staff Sgt. Omar Jones from the 8th Civil Engineer Squadron, was selected as the 8th Fighter Wing's Pride of the Pack for the week of Oct. 15. Each week the 8th Fighter Wing commander recognizes one member of the Wolf Pack by awarding them with a Pride of the Pack certificate for their stellar commitment to excellence and superior mission accomplishment. Here are some of Sergeant Jone's highlights. 

Rank and full name: Staff Sgt. Omar Jones
Unit: 8th Civil Engineer Squadron 
Duty Title: Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Craftsman 
What is your job in a nutshell?: Plans, inspects, installs, troubleshoots, maintains, repairs, operates and modifies heating, refrigeration, air conditioning (AC), air compressors, and ventilation equipment systems for 998 facilities valued at $1.7 Billion 
Hometown: Savannah, Ga.
Previous Base: Fairchild AFB, Wash.
Follow-on: Currently serving a 2 year assignment 
Hobbies: Reading & Traveling
Favorite music: R&B / Rap
Last good movie: "Shootas"
Favorite Quote: "Discipline is based on pride, on meticulous attention to details, and on mutual respect and confidence. Discipline must be a habit so ingrained that it is stronger than the excitement of the goal or the fear of failure." 

Letter from his commander: 
I recommend Staff Sgt. Omar C. Jones, 8th Civil Engineer Squadron, for the "Pride of the Pack" Award. Sergeant Jones is extremely self-motivated, versatile and an excellent leader on the job. As assistant NCOIC for the HVAC shop, he currently oversees the daily operations of 12 craftsmen. He is responsible for installing and maintaining HVAC equipment and systems for 1,070 facilities valued at more than $1.45 billion. He schedules and logs man hours for the shop and also trains and mentors subordinate and crew leaders daily. His presence has been seen and felt by thousands of dorm residence through his continuous efforts of repairing air conditioning systems. As a leader in our busiest shop, his contributions immensely improved Quality of Life and ensured mission success. Sergeant Jones was the leader of the recent effort to repair the major HVAC outage in dormitory 1418. 

Sergeant Jones is mission-focused. During the last Pennisula-Wide Operation Readiness Exercise in July, he was the Damage Assessment Response Team leader. He used his past experience from the previous three PENOREs and the ORI to provide valuable training for 10 new members assigned to the team. After the first two days of the exercise, the team built confidence through his training. This was apparent to senior leaders, so they directed his talents to wing level interest items for the duration of the exercise. He then supported critical Airfield NAVAIDS, repaired the Munitions Control Center and fixed dormitory air conditioning problems. 

Sergeant Jones is a technical expert. His experience from last year's air conditioning season significantly helped his fellow craftsmen to support over 3,000 dorm residences occupying 25 dormitories. He led the installation from start to finish on four industrial chillers and a 60-ton package air conditioner. His talent, skills and previous experience ensured reliable air conditioning for dorm residents and the Intel section. His unselfish actions and dedication saved the Air Force $350,000 in contractual replacement cost. 

Sergeant Jones is a leader off the job as well. He engaged with the 5/6 Council and stepped up to coach the squadron flag football team. As last year's quarterback in the championship game, he demonstrated dedication in developing CE athletes. He continues his efforts for another base championship this year and under his leadership and experience, the team has the potential to achieve this goal. In addition, Sergeant Jones also prepared, cooked and donated 30 pounds of pork for the ACE and the 5/6 Luau fundraiser. 

I proudly nominate Sergeant Jones for the "Pride of the Pack" for all his contributions to Kunsan Air Base. He recently re-enlisted, which further displays his service and commitment as a leader in the 8 Fighter Wing and the Air Force. As a member of the "Legendary CE Red Devils", Sergeant Jones is our nominee for the "Pride of the Pack."