Excellent Airmen of the 12 months: Tech. Sgt. Micaela R. Mahan
The Air Pressure’s 12 Excellent Airmen of the 12 months for 2023 will likely be formally acknowledged at AFA’s Air, Area & Cyber Convention from Sept. 11-13 in Nationwide Harbor, Md. Air & Area Forces Journal is highlighting one every weekday from now till the convention begins. Immediately, we honor Tech. Sgt. Micaela R. Mahan, the Noncommissioned Officer in Cost of Navy Justice, with the seventh Air Pressure, Workplace of the Employees Decide Advocate at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea.
Earlier than transferring to Osan, Mahan was the NCOIC of Navy Justice with the 78th Air Base Wing at Robins Air Pressure Base, Ga., the place she labored for the fourth largest authorized workplace within the Air Pressure, serving three wings and a serious command.
As NCOIC, she led a nine-member workforce that suggested commanders, first sergeants, and attorneys throughout authorized instances on what disciplinary actions had been warranted, the whole lot from demotions and letters of reprimand to courts-martial and discharges. In 2022 she oversaw 65 prison instances, 15 courts-martial, 266 hostile and administrative actions, and 18 discharges that handed by means of the workplace.
“We primarily dealt with a variety of sexual assault instances. That’s the majority of our instances,” Mahan mentioned.
Throughout a courtroom renovation, Mahan stuffed in for the wing’s Chief of Navy Justice because the legislation workplace’s superintendent to offer $64,000 of latest communications and IT tools and bettering the workplace’s finances by 77 p.c—all whereas the wing didn’t also have a functioning courtroom.
Taking up the mantle of management—and excelling past expectation—is a part of Mahan’s M.O. She was the Wing Employees Businesses’ extra obligation First Sergeant, offering weekend help for 190 personnel throughout 17 models. She mentioned that her capacity to reach these conditions comes from a mix of exhausting work and good mentorship.
“[My mentors tell me], ‘oh, you’re gonna be a chief sooner or later,” Mahan mentioned. “Simply having these mentors and supervisors that [believe] in me and inform me these sorts of issues [has] additionally helped me notice the identical factor—it’s motivated me to maintain pushing all through these years.”
Mahan has served within the Air Pressure since 2014, however she mentioned she by no means received an award or recognition till 2022. By scoring excessive grades in 7-level faculty and serving as a volunteer coordinator amongst her friends, Mahan earned the Paralegal Craftsman Course Prime Graduate award. She additionally obtained the NCO Academy’s Distinguished Graduate and Commandant’s award, all whereas finishing her bachelor’s diploma in investigative forensics with honors.
“Final yr was the primary yr I even received a quarterly award or was ever put in for a yearly award,” she mentioned. “To make it thus far for me was very surprising.”
Now an Excellent Airman of the 12 months for 2023, Mahan hopes her perseverance all through practically a decade of service can serve for instance to different Airmen who may be doubting their influence on the Pressure.
“By no means cease believing in your self,” she mentioned. “It took me 9 years to even win a quarterly award. Had I given up previous to this … I’d have by no means made it thus far.”
Meet the opposite Excellent Airmen of the 12 months for 2023 beneath:
