Lt. Col. Decker, of Cortez, earns Air Force award

Decker

Lt. Col. Kenneth Lee Decker Jr. recently received the 2013 Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Journeyman Program Manager Award.

Decker, stationed at Hanscom Air Force Base Near Boston, Mass., is the program manager for the Global Aircrew Strategic Network Terminal or Global XNT.

This program is responsible for engineering and sustaining nuclear command and control terminals, which are secure, survivable ground terminals at wing command posts that receive emergency action messages.

The messages received are disseminated to bomber, tanker and reconnaissance aircrews for action.

Although it was a surprise to Decker, it wasn’t to his leadership or his 45-member team.

“Kenny Decker is an outstanding program manager,” said Col. Anthony Genatempo, Space, Aerial and Nuclear Networks Division chief. “I am looking forward to kicking off the development and production of this much-needed capability with Lieutenant Colonel Decker at the helm.”

Decker is the son of Kenneth and Gloria Decker and the grandson of Gwenlyn Decker, all Cortez residents.

He is a graduate of Mancos High School and Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.