Liberty Spotlight: Staff Sgt. Hicks Published May 5, 2015 By 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- Name and Rank: Staff Sgt. Tiffany Hicks Unit: 48th Logistics Readiness Squadron Duty Title: Equipment Accountability Element Supervisor Time in Service: 6 years Time at RAF Lakenheath: 4 months Hometown: Clarksville, Tenn. Hobbies: Snowboarding, arts and crafts, dirt biking, scuba diving and cooking Core Value Portrayed: Service Before Self How does the individual portray this core value? Hicks was submitted for a Liberty Spotlight by Senior Master Sgt. Daniel Guzman, 48th Logistics Readiness Squadron materiel management flight chief. According to Guzman, since her arrival at RAF Lakenheath less than three months ago, Hicks has hit the ground running and made every effort to have an immediate impact on the mission. She consistently stands out by volunteering to work extra duty hours and weekends. Her efforts have been crucial to her section, producing a best in U.S. Air Forces in Europe 100 percent equipment accountability rate. This is no small feat considering her duty section is currently operating with 50 percent of its authorized manning. She also played a key role in building the equipment accountability real-time electronic database. Her efforts will help save more than 123 equipment surveillance inspection hours each year. Hicks' selfless devotion to duty, positive disposition and relentless commitment to excellence make her worthy of this accolade. Why did you join the Air Force? I joined the military because I wanted to travel the world. As an Army brat, I knew the military lifestyle already. I always wanted to experience the action from the driver's seat. I believe I truly am following in my father's footsteps. My first two duty stations were the exact same as my father's - Oklahoma and then Korea. How does your job support the mission of the 48th Fighter Wing? As an equipment accountability supervisor, my job is to maintain the wing's equipment program, the second largest in USAFE, comprised of 16,000 assets valued at $234 million. My job is critical to the wing's mission of supporting more than 123 equipment accounts and 23 squadrons. Finally, by building a partnership with all maintenance Airmen, I am helping the Liberty Wing deliver the most mission-capable F-15E Strike Eagles and HH-60G Pave Hawks for world-wide missions. What drives you as an Airman? I am proud to be an NCO in the United States Air Force. I want to honor those who have served before me. Knowing that what I do helps keep families and this nation safe, brings me great pride. In my opinion, each job plays a key role in supporting the main mission - to support and defend our country when called upon. What skills do you possess that set you apart from others? I have a few skills that I possess that set me apart from others. First, is speaking in public. Before any meeting, I gather all information about the topic at hand. I like to be very knowledgeable on the subject that I am talking about. To me, you should be able to answer any question that is thrown your way. Second, I'm a fast learner. I take pride in my work, and like to gain as much information as I can. I like being able to have others come to me for help with work-related issues. Finally, I have a positive attitude. I feel that if you have good morale in the office, you can get a lot more done. Having a positive attitude will encourage others to be more positive and will help the job be more productive. What has been your favorite place to travel in England/Europe, or where would you like to travel to? I haven't been out of England yet, but I did take a London tour with the base Chapel. I was able to explore much of London in one day, everything from Big Ben to Madame Tussauds. It's been a dream of mine to travel in Europe. I would like to snowboard in France, scuba dive in the Mediterranean Sea and taste pizza from Italy, to name a few.