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MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. – Jonathan Murphy, 22nd Air Refueling Wing occupational safety manager, won 2024 Air Force Occupational Safety Civilian of the Year.
Murphy’s hard work and innovative efforts set him apart when it came to protecting personnel and assets. His ideas saved the Air Force money and labor over a multitude of exercises and contingencies.
With Murphy as chair of the Risk Assessment Working Group for the Air Force’s longest combat sortie, Project Magellan, the team mitigated nine critical hazards across four combatant commands. His oversight during the flight averted mishaps over 45 flight hours and eight air refueling events, setting a risk management standard for maximum endurance operations across Air Mobility Command.
“Conducting solid risk assessments is a team effort,” Murphy said. “We must find common ground to ensure we accept risk at an appropriate level, and ensure all possible outcomes are mitigated to see the mission’s completion.”
Murphy teamed up with the Air Force Headquarters safety specialist career field manager to complete the safety specialist capabilities playbook, designed to optimize career field progression and deployment manning for over 5,000 people. This resulted in over $10 million in cost saving and efficiency improvements.
That same year, following an early morning micro burst preceding the final day of McConnell’s Frontiers in Flight Air Show, an 18-member total force team directed by Murphy safeguarded 84 aircraft. He coordinated with base and state agencies and expedited cleanup within 12 hours, while preventing injuries and additional damage to aircraft and equipment.
“Seeing the team step into action quickly following the incident makes me proud,” Murphy said. “All of our training put into play with professionalism and poise lead to an airfield returning to fully operational in less than 24 hours.”
Additionally, under Murphy’s guidance, a wing-directed development team created and tested a remote-start system for the KC-46A Pegasus, reducing alert takeoff times by 25%.
During the Air Force’s first ever KC-135/KC-46 Nuclear Operational Readiness Exercise, Murphy lead a 13-member team, from six base agencies, to resolve a critical non-standard aircraft taxi and parking oversight.
“How we park aircraft is not something to put a lot of thought into, but there is a science behind it,” Murphy said. “Equipment or personnel in the wrong place at the wrong time can, and does lead to damage and serious injury.”
Murphy’s recognition as Occupational Safety Civilian of the Year reflects the impact that he has had on not only McConnell or Air Mobility Command, but the entire Air Force’s mission. His contributions to ensuring safety and risk management are the reason why Murphy stood out in 2024 and earned this award.
| Date Taken: | 03.25.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.26.2025 10:54 |
| Story ID: | 493733 |
| Location: | MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, KANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 113 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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