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Leadership from the 86th Airlift Wing recognized Staff Sgt. Jacob Edwards, 86th Civil Engineer Squadron Airman dorm leader, as Airlifter of the Week for his dedication and innovation, April 1.
Edwards caught the attention of leadership with his determination to be involved with the Installation Dorm Council.
“He wanted to go on Installation Dorm Council. We didn’t pick him right away, but he made it clear he wanted it,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Matthew Craig, 86th CES unaccompanied housing superintendent. “That’s what we need in that role. We put him in charge of it and he’s just been running with it, working directly with the Airmen and setting up that distro chat.”
Edwards created a distro chat to improve communication between dorm residents. While the main function is messaging, he also utilized the new chat to conduct morale events for residents.
“I was hearing the common trend of, ‘It’s hard to put on morale events because of COVID-19.’ I found a work-around for this,” Edwards said.
Edwards arranged a virtual cooking class that taught dorm residents a quick dinner time recipe.
Edwards didn’t stop there. He also brought improvements to two of the day rooms to give Airmen a place to unwind while following COVID-19 regulations.
“The day rooms already had everything we needed: it was just a matter of putting it together,” Edwards said. “We put together two pool tables, a couple poker tables, and I ended up hanging up a projector screen and some pictures.”
As an ADL, Edwards is tasked with in and out-processing Airmen, processing their work orders, and staying in tune with what they want and need to feel at home in the dorms.
“I know what it’s like to be in the dorms. That’s one of the main reasons I took this job, to make a difference in an Airman’s life,” Edwards said. “If I can just impact one, then my job here is done.”
When Edwards, a Rocky Mount, North Carolina native, isn’t busy taking care of Airmen, he enjoys playing video games, hunting and fishing.
The Airlifter of the Week program recognizes Airmen who, through hard work and dedication, play a critical role in the 86th Airlift Wing Global Gateway.
Edwards’ passion to take care of Airmen did not go unnoticed by his leadership.
“He is a true servant leader. He is always looking out for the best for his Airmen. That’s what he cares about,” Craig said. “I’m really excited to have him on the team.”
