One of Buckley's finest gets STEPed Published Dec. 19, 2006 By Staff Sgt. Sanjay Allen 460th Space Wing Public Affairs BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- A member of the 460th Medical Group was promoted to technical sergeant here on Dec. 15 under the Stripes for Exceptional Performers Program. Tech. Sgt. Yolanda Becker, Bioenvironmental Engineering Branch noncommissioned officer in charge, was presented with her new stripes by Col. David Ziegler, 460th Space Wing commander, Col. Danny Seanger, 460th SW vice commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Candler, 460th SW command chief, during a surprise promotion ceremony at her unit's holiday party at the Aurora North Medical Facility. "It is such an honor to receive a promotion in this manner," she said. "I have a very strong 'work hard, play hard' ethic, which seems to have paid off." Sergeant Becker's responsibilities include respiratory protection, command core system administrator, cost center manager, supply custodian and equipment custodian, personal wireless communications systems manager and industrial hygiene. She is also the 460th MDG's Self Aid and Buddy Care monitor, and instructor and a Basic Life Support instructor. Capt. Dan Sweeney, Bioenvironmental Engineering Branch Chief, believes the promotion was a great reward for all the hard effort she has put into her career. "Sergeant Becker was put in for the STEP promotion for outstanding achievements throughout her career, including the 2005 Air Force Space Command Bioenvironmental Engineering Noncommissioned Officer of the Year," he said. " It made me very proud to see one of my troops get recognized this way." The STEP program is designed to recognize exceptional performers for promotion to the grades of staff sergeant through master sergeant. Only 1.25 percent of promotion-eligible Airmen were able to be STEP promoted this year. The program was tested during fiscal year 1981 and implemented on a permanent basis the following year.