JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. — -- Promoting to Tech. Sgt. in the U.S. Air Force requires a lot of hard work, dedication and certain criteria that must be met, which makes achieving this rank difficult. A service member must have 23 months time in grade, five years time in service, reached a skill level seven, and received high scores on the Skills Knowledge Test, Promotion Fitness Examination and good Enlisted Performance Reports.
However, when Airmen display work ethic well above their grade, it can be recognized. For this reason, the Air Force created the Stripes for Exceptional Performers Program. This program allows a selected few extraordinary Airmen the opportunity to promote early.
STEP is intended to promote exceptional Airmen to one grade above for exhibiting unparalleled potential and a proven capacity to serve in the next higher rank.
“The goal of the program is for commanders to identify people that are working really hard [and] doing an amazing job, but for whatever reason were not selected to be promoted in their career field,” explains Chief Master Sgt. James Fitch, 87th Air Base Wing and Joint Base MDL command chief. “We’re trying to say – even though the career field numbers for this specific [Air Force Specialty Code] were low, this person is still deserving of promotion based on their performance and hard work.”
On September 13th, Tech. Sgt. Jessica Rios, 87th Logistics Readiness Squadron NCOIC equipment element, had an unexpected change in her career when she suddenly found herself in this very situation.
Every Friday, Rios’ flight at the 87th LRS, has their roll call in the morning – but this particular morning was a little bit different. On this morning they had roll call at 10 a.m. instead of 8 a.m.
“We were in formation, they were giving announcements and the safety briefing [when] out of the blue the installation commander came in,” recalled Rios. “She called my name, told me I was out of uniform and [then] presented me with the new stripes – I was in shock and didn’t believe that it actually happened.”
This year every wing in Air Mobility Command was given one stripe to hand out to a deserving Airman. Rios’ dedication to her work, her family, her education and the mission allowed her to step up, stand out in her shop and prove that she was ready for the rank of Tech. Sgt. well before her time.
“Tech. Sgt. Rios is a very hard worker [and] she ensures the mission gets done,” said Tech. Sgt. Iesha Logmao, 87th LRS material management flight NCOIC equipment accountability element. “She also found the time to do Senior Joint Professional Military Education 1, is working on her masters degree and has her family at home. To me that is definitely a whole person concept.”
Rios, working outside of her career field to recruit for three years, was given a slight disadvantage yet she still stood out in her flight and was the “go to person” in her shop involving everything related to the Joint Bases’ 157 equipment accounts.
“Its extremely rare when the group chiefs all get together and agree but when we went through all of the resumes, graded them separately and got back together to discuss, all five of us had her as our number one,” said Fitch. “The group chiefs make the right decision based on who we think is the most deserving and when we all looked at everybody on paper we all said Rios is number one.”
Rios is an example of how continuous effort can pay off. She said she is proud and ready to assume her new rank and continue keeping the processes in her shops functioning efficiently.
“[I would tell Airmen] never give up,” said Rios. “You can test many times and not make rank [but] just keep going strong, take care of yourself, your family and the Air Force Mission.”