Stinnett named KYANG first sergeant of the year

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Joshua Horton
  • 123rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
LOUISVILLE, Ky. --  Master Sgt. Diane Stinnett of the 123rd Mission Support Group has been selected as the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 2020 first sergeant of the year.

As first sergeant to the 123rd Mission Support Group, Stinnett is responsible for advising the commander on issues regarding readiness, welfare and morale, providing mentorship and discipline to the enlisted staff, assisting with quality-of-life issues and ensuring a mission-ready force.

According to Chief Master Sgt. Charles Kelton, 123rd Mission Support Group chief enlisted manager, Stinnett’s “calm demeanor in the face of adversity” and the “extent to which she cares for her Airmen” make her well-suited for the first sergeant role.

“First Sergeant Stinnett is the epitome of what a first sergeant should be,” Kelton said. “She’s diamond sharp, always very professional, she handles personnel well and she’s great at managing conflicts. She checks on her troops on a regular basis, even between UTAs, to make sure that not only their military lives are progressing well, but also their personal lives.

“I’ve worked with a lot of first sergeants over the years — some good, some bad — but she’s top notch,” Kelton added. “There are some very sharp first sergeants out here on the base, but just working with her the three years that I have, I think she’s well-deserving.”

Over the past year, Stinnett was selected by her peers to lead the first sergeant council for a second time, where she organized a two-day event to facilitate training and team-building.

Stinnett also initiated a quarterly diamond sharp award program, recognizing five top-performing Airmen and garnering 11 nominees; and established a monthly newsletter to improve communication and ensure mission readiness to members of the 123rd Mission Support Group staff.

Stinnett maintains a fitness score of more than 95 percent and regularly paces Airmen during fitness assessments. In 2019, she ran two marathons in addition to multiple half marathons, 10Ks and 5Ks. She also competed in the Bourbon Chase two-day, 200-mile relay run as a member of the 12-person 123rd Communications Flight team.