Academic selflessness distinguishes Incirlik NCOA graduate

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Chase Hedrick
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  "I will never leave an Airman behind, I will never falter, and I will not fail."

These final phrases of the Airman's Creed are engrained in every Airman during their experiences with Professional Military Education. For one technical sergeant assigned to Incirlik AB, these words also summarize his experiences while attending the Kisling Noncommissioned Officer Academy at Kapaun Air Station, Germany.

Tech. Sgt. Dustin Troyer, 39th Operations Squadron deputy airfield manager, was selected as a distinguished graduate of Kisling NCOA Class 13-6 after being unanimously nominated for the award by 13 other technical sergeants in the class's Spirit Flight.

"I got into class and started doing the course material and getting into study guides, but I began realizing that people were getting frustrated," he said. "So when we were done with school that day I'd say, 'I'm going to go back to my room and change. Then I'm coming back to the schoolhouse and I'll be here until 9 'o'clock. So if anybody needs any help, I'll be here.'"

The first couple days as people were getting to know each other they were a little standoffish, he said. but as time went on more and more people started coming in, he continued.

Eventually, Troyer began holding one-on-one and group study sessions, and almost everyone in his flight was attending.

In week five, as the class was allotting points to nominate classmates for awards, Troyer was shocked when the class unanimously voted for him.

"I was floored, " he said. " I'm there going 'I'm just trying to help you guys out.' My attitude is if I graduated from that course and somebody didn't pass and I didn't do anything to help them, I take that personally. That's on me. Our motto was '14 in and 14 out'. We didn't quite make it, but we did everything we could."

A memorandum for record sent to the academy's commandant nominating Troyer for the commandant award summarized the flight's opinion of his actions.

"He took the initiative to help a group of strangers become a team and asked for nothing in return. His persistent drive for team development allowed all members to contribute their own qualities that created a sense of team accomplishment. He proof read papers, listened to speeches, gave helpful feedback, and made suggestions to improve our assignments. He put his own speeches, papers, and personal studying aside in order to help struggling students," read an excerpt from the memorandum signed by Tech. Sgt. Tearrance Wilson, Kisling NCO Academy Class 13-6 Spirit Flight Leader.

During the interview with the commandant, Troyer was asked why he deserved the leadership award. After a pause he offered his reply.

"Honestly, I've already won just based on the fact that my classmates nominated me. I have their respect," said Troyer. "They gave me a copy of the MFR that they sent, and if I don't win anything at this course that doesn't matter because that MFR means more to me than any award I can be given."

Troyer said he did not receive the commandant award, but stressed that awards were never his intent and that he holds higher value on the connections and friends he made at Kisling.

Though he's already graduated, the technical sergeant is still out offering his help to NCOA students.

"Last Friday when we had the next group of individuals from Incirlik heading out to the academy on Sunday, I made sure I was in there giving them the feedback on what to expect, how to prepare and to be ready to be overwhelmed," he said. "On things like that I'm always a 'people first' kind of person. I like to leave no Airman behind."