Air Force Weather Agency volunteer represents Air Force

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OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. --  Air Force Personnel Center officials recently announced a member of the Air Force Weather Agency here as the Air Force nominee for the 2007 U.S. Armed Forces Spirit of Hope Award.

Master Sgt. Lou Pell, NCOIC of the Agency's training branch, was selected as the Air Force representative to compete with nominees from the four other services for this coveted award. The Secretary of Defense will present this year's award in a ceremony Nov. 19 at the Pentagon.

The Spirit of Hope Award is presented annually to men and women of the United States Armed Forces, entertainers and other distinguished Americans and organizations whose service to troops reflects the dedication and commitment of the late Bob Hope, comedian, movie and TV star, entertainer and patriot.

Sergeant Pell has volunteered more than 350 hours of personal time in service to others. Additionally, he helped raise more than $200,000 for worthy causes such as the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

"If you need help, Lou is there - rain or shine. When the call goes out for volunteers, Lou is always one of the first to raise his hand," said Col. Ray Clark, vice commander of the Air Force Weather Agency. "With his spirit of good will and volunteerism that is second-to-none. Lou exemplifies the values and character of Mr. Hope. We are proud of all our volunteers and it's great to see one of our best nominated for this distinguished award."

Bob Hope was designated the first honorary veteran of the United States Armed Forces for his decades of entertaining troops, both in peacetime and in combat zones. This honor was bestowed by the U.S. Congress, signed into law by President Clinton, and first presented in 1997.

Those who have received the award in past years, include President George H.W. Bush, Senator John Glenn, Mayor Rudy Guiliani, Walter Cronkite and Ann Margret.

Sergeant Pell has spent 21 of his 24 years on active duty in the weather career field. He currently leads a 15-person branch of military and civilian weather professionals who provide non-formal training solutions to improve the performance of 3,800 Air Force weather personnel at 260 worldwide locations. This is accomplished through Qualification Training Packages, instructional publications, Computer-Based Training, and interactive web solutions.

"I'm really honored to have been nominated for this award," Sergeant Pell said. "I did not expect to compete at the Air Force level. To be honest, I see all of the volunteer work that so many amazing people here in the Air Force Weather Agency do, both on and off base, and I'm truly humbled. I enjoy being a part of an organization that gives so much back to our community."