Florida recruiter named Patrick AFB NCO of the Year Published Feb. 29, 2008 By Staff Sgt. Mike Burchfield 333rd Recruiting Squadron MELBOURNE, Fla. -- Air Force recruiter, Staff Sgt. James Weltin, was named the 2007 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year at the Patrick Air Force Base Installation Awards banquet Feb. 21. Sergeant Weltin has been a recruiter for only two years of his six-year career and bested several other unit-level winners for the honor. He earned "top recruiter" honors in the 333st Recruiting Squadron for three of four quarters in fiscal year 2007 and completed 12 college credit hours and two Community College of the Air Force degrees. "I am very proud of James. His work ethic and airmanship are absolutely superb. We are very lucky to have him in the squadron," Lt.Col. Michael Tillema, 333rd RCS commander said. Off duty, Staff Sgt. Weltin leads a life that is equally impressive. He volunteered to routinely instruct Sunday school at his church and mentors 25 children at the Brevard Juvenile Center. "I am very humbled by the award," Staff Sgt. Weltin said. "I did not imagine I would go this far. Above all I am thankful for the 333rd and thankful to bring home an award to them like this for the first time." Sergeant Weltin works out of the Rockledge, Fla., recruiting office. The 333rd RCS finished 2007 as Air Force Recruiting Service's most Improved and top overall squadron.