STEP

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Tech. Sgt. Michael Krause, 375th Communications Group, is tacked on by Col. Gary Goldstone, 375th AMW commander, and Chief Master Sgt. James Suttles, 375th AMW command chief, after being promoted under the Stripes for Exceptional Performers Program Jan. 21 during the Wing Annual Awards Dinner at the Scott Club. Sergeant Krause led a deployed command center move of 5,000 feet of cable, 75 systems and 25 phones. He excelled under fire while on a mission with the Marine Corps providing communication. He expedited intelligence reports enabling rapid ammunition refills during firefight and helped confiscate 35 weapons, and thus earned a Bronze Star. He upgraded tactical systems on 42 vehicles enabling capability to locate partner combat teams across the area of responsibility. Sergeant Krause also designed an information technology test-bed, identified 20 critical program faults and corrected software interoperability shortfalls for 450 Air Operations Center command and control systems. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Brian Ellis)