Weather technician displays 'Excellence in All We Do' Published Oct. 21, 2010 48th Fighter WIng Public Affairs ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- Name and Rank: Senior Airman Regis Sullivan Unit: 48th Operation Support Squadron Duty Title: Weather Technician Time in Service: 3 Years, 7 Months Time at Lakenheath: 6 Months Hometown: Suffolk,VA Hobbies: Poker, Racquetball and Singing Core Value Portrayed: Excellence in all we do How does the individual portray that core value? As the lone weather forecaster deployed with the 493rd Fighter Squadron in support of an Icelandic Air Policing mission in Keflavik, Iceland, SrA Sullivan continually found better ways to accomplish the mission. SrA Sullivan exudes the core value "excellence in all we do" by his superb terrestrial weather forecasting skills. In addition to excelling at his job on a daily basis, he also pin-pointed a severe wind warning more than 72 hours in advance ensuring no mission degradation. A severe wind warning typically has a max lead time of four hours, SrA Sullivan exceeded that time frame by more than two days. His expertise provided the mission commander with superior weather intelligence, a task that is normally handled at the junior NCO level. SrA Sullivan has been lauded as one of the top performers by both the 48 OG/CC and the OSS/CC for his remarkable forecasting while deployed. Regis continually performs at a level that exceeds all expectations and does so with an attitude that all Airmen should encompass. Why is serving in the Air Force important to you? Serving in the Air Force allows me the opportunity to push every facet of my life to the next level. I'm gaining valuable experience within my career field while continuing my higher education. Lastly, being the only person in my family to serve for the armed forces, I feel proud of the achievements I have made as well as the ones that involved the cooperation of fellow airmen. What accomplishment during your Air Force career are you most proud of? I am most proud of my recent recognition during the Icelandic Air Policing mission in Keflavik, Iceland. The experience improved my leadership skills and made me think on my feet. It also improved my forecasting and observing skills for the region, where weather is known to be extreme year-round. What are your personal and/or professional goals? My personal goals are to finish my BS in Environmental Sciences as well as my CCAF. Continuing my higher education is one of the main reasons I joined the Air Force. My professional goal is to gain experience in my current career field and eventually expand that knowledge in becoming a climatologist. There are many branches within my career field that lead to exciting opportunities in both military and civilian work areas. What is your favorite part of your job? My favorite part of my job is discovering something new and interesting every time I work. Whether it's the latest technological developments in weather observing or new forecasting techniques, there is always something new to learn and share.