KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Master Sgt. Nicholas Vincent, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center logistics, installations and mission support superintendent, was recently awarded the 2018 Air Force Outstanding Contracting Enlisted Member Award at the NCO level.
“For me, I just keep doing what I’m doing,” said Vincent. “Sometimes you get recognized, but I don’t do it for those reasons, and sometimes you don’t get recognized, but you stay the course.”
Vincent has stayed the course here at Kirtland since 2011. While here, he has worked with the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, the 377th Mission Support Group contracting unit, went on a short tour to Saudi Arabia and has now been with AFOTEC for just over a year.
“I am very proud of [Master] Sgt. Vincent because he is a hard worker,” said Lt. Col. Laura Chavez, AFOTEC director of logistics, installations and mission support. “One of the things I appreciate about him is the quality of work that he provides. If he is going to do something, he is going to do it right the first time so that nothing ripples off to other issues.”
The appreciation that Chavez has for Vincent is very much reciprocated.
“I’m grateful for my leadership and my supervisor Lt. Col. Chavez,” said Vincent. “Without her, I know I would not have gotten the award.”
Chavez isn’t the only leader that has played a part in Vincent’s success.
“I’ve been at Kirtland for so long,” said Vincent. “I’ve been a part of three different contracting entities on Kirtland. I’m the only enlisted person that I know that has done that. I attribute my success to my prior leaders because I think they have had something to do with that.”
Vincent also attributes the success that he has had in his career to his upbringing.
“I grew up poor on a farm, so a lot of people have me beat on education,” said Vincent. “But I will catch up. I just apply myself to what I need to learn and work at it. As long as my health will keep up, no one will out work me.”
The value of hard work learned as a child helped Vincent overcome difficulties and prove his value while on a short tour to Saudi Arabia. As an NCO there, he went above and beyond his call of duty.
“I was the flight chief in Saudi Arabid,” said Vincent. “At the same time, I ended up filling in the billet for a superintended position and the director of contracting position.”
The challenges and opportunities that Vincent faced while in Saudi Arabia helped his already fundamentally sound character and leadership grow for his assignment at AFOTEC.
“As a mission-focused business leader, Master Sgt. Vincent is proactive to reach out to our customers to understand their priorities and requirements to manage accordingly,” said Chavez. “His legacy as a leader is defined by his demonstrated character, integrity and passion to protect the image of our nation, our Air Force, and our contracting profession.”
Moving forward from this award, Vincent wants to stay the course and become his best self.
“I want to be the master sergeant that I saw when I was an airman 1st class that I immediately wanted to follow and emulate,” said Vincent. “I just want to be the best person I can be, be the best leader I can be, and the best father and continue to work on my education.”