Security forces airman awarded at Air Force level

A security forces airman was recently recognized at the Air Force level with the Outstanding Security Forces Support Staff Airman Award.

Staff Sgt. Brett Pragle, 27th Special Operations Security Forces Squadron, won the functional career field award for various duties.

“I really didn’t think I had a chance,” said Sgt. Pragle. “I was home on leave and got calls from a bunch of people congratulating me (for winning at the Air Force level).”

Sgt. Pragle’s accomplishments include duties he performed both here and while assigned to the Bagram Theater Internment Facility in Afghanistan during an eight-month Joint Expeditionary Tasking deployment.

“I was proud to be doing what I was doing,” said Sgt. Pragle. While deployed, he provided security for a visit by the International Committee of the Red Cross, conducted 1,000 cell searches, 10,000 personnel searches and seized 1,000 dangerous weapons and contraband.

“He holds people to standards and tries to set the standards himself,” said Maj. Damian Schlussel, 27 SOSFS commander. “He cares about the job and takes a lot of pride in his work.”

Taking pride in one’s work represents a large part of Sgt. Pragle’s philosophy. He was a founding member in the 755th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron’s Airman’s Council and an Operation Care team leader, which helped package and deliver more than 30 relief boxes to Afghani orphanges.

“I think to win at the Air Force level — over all the other security forces airmen --is a really big deal,” said Sgt. Pragle. The security forces Air Force Specialty Code has the most personnel in the U.S. Air Force. But he adds he won’t let this honor go to his head.

Maj. Schlussel says Sgt. Pragle’s accomplishment is something all who work at Cannon can be proud of.

“Sgt. Pragle’s accomplishment shows that Cannon is at the tip of the spear,” he said.