27 SOW STEP promotions Published Dec. 9, 2013 27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Tech. Sgt. Beau Columbus, 27th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron aerospace propulsion craftsman, and Tech. Sgt. Travis Hardie, 33rd Special Operations Squadron evaluator sensor operator, were promoted to the rank of technical sergeant under the Stripes for Exceptional Performers program Dec. 2 at the 27th Special Operation Wing. "The competition was extremely tight," said Col. Tony Bauernfeind, 27 SOW wing commander. "Both of these Air Commandos have an outstanding record of exceptional performance. We are lucky to have phenomenal teammates excelling on a daily basis throughout the wing. Definitely well deserved!" Air Force STEP promotions within Air Force Special Operations Command are reserved for the elite among Air Commandos. This year, Columbus and Hardie found themselves amidst a select few. "To put it in perspective, AFSOC received only five allocations for technical sergeant stripes this fiscal year and there are 3,303 staff sergeants in the command," said Chief Master Sgt. Paul Henderson, 27 SOW command chief. "Columbus and Hardie were promoted by Col. Bauernfeind based on their proven readiness to immediately serve as technical sergeants. We are very proud to have them here at Cannon. This promotion came as a surprise to both of the deserving recipients. "I feel very honored, surprised, and humbled by this promotion; I honestly didn't even know that I was considered for it," said Columbus. "The only two people I had ever seen STEP promoted were extremely deserving in their respective career fields. Moving forward, I hope that I can shoulder the new responsibilities that will be expected of me and keep moving toward in my ultimate career goal of making chief master sergeant." Soon to be an instructor in his career field, Hardie sees this honor as a stepping stone on the road to achieving his professional goals. "About 30 minutes before it happened, I had bought some flash cards to help me study for my upcoming technical sergeant test this coming year," said Hardie. "It was a complete shock when I was pulled into the wing commander's office and told that I was now Tech. Sgt. Hardie." "Once I get settled into my new job, I would like to start school and finish my bachelor's degree," he continued. "While all that is going on, I plan on studying extremely hard for my next opportunity to make rank."