BLUE ROPE of the YEAR

The Highest Award Achievable as an MTI

Awards are an integral part of every Air Force organization. Units across the Air Force annually select an Airman, NCO, and Senior NCO of the Year to recognize superior performance within that organization. The Basic Military Training School is no different. In addition to these awards, however, BMT also recognizes the superior talents and exceptional abilities of its instructors. The most prestigious of all instructor recognition's is the Basic Military Training School's Master Military Training Instructor of the Year Award, or as it is more commonly known: BLUE ROPE of the YEAR. The Blue Rope program was created in 1975 and the first Blue Rope of the Year was announced in 1980. The following individuals have been selected for this most prestigious award:
TSgt Stephen BONG
TSgt Garry HENRY
TSgt James FOX
SSgt Harry CREACY Jr.
TSgt John GONZALES
SSgt Damon FLEMMONS Jr.
3704 BMTS
3708 BMTS
3701 BMTS
3708 BMTS
3723 BMTS
3723 BMTS
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
SSgt Raymond SALAMY
TSgt John PAVEY Jr.
SSgt Christopher HOLT
TSgt Patricia BARRETT
TSgt Anthony GRANDBERRY
TSgt William D. L. DAMBACHER
3708 BMTS
3706 BMTS
3706 BMTS
3743 BMTS
3706 BMTS
3711 BMTS
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
Sgt Shauna WADE
SSgt Maurice PIERCE
SrA David STATON
SSgt Beth PEURA
SSgt Michael JEWEL
SrA Chad CRIBB
325 TRS
323 TRS
320 TRS
737 TRG
331 TRS
320 TRS
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
TSgt Jennifer BEAR
SSgt Anthony LAMAGNA
SSgt Christopher BELL
SSgt Xavier KING
TSgt Phillip EASTON
SSgt Roy MASSEY
321 TRS
331 TRS
322 TRS
320 TRS
322 TRS
323 TRS
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
SSgt Blaine LISTENBEE
SSgt Chrissie VALENZA
TSgt Kenneth J. PRYGA
TSgt Justin G. APTICAR
323 TRS
326 TRS
737 TRSS
331 TRS
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
The competition for this honor, to say the least, is incredibly intense. To be eligible, an individual must first earn the coveted Blue Rope and then be selected as their squadron's Blue Rope of the Year. Squadron winners annually compete against one another in hopes of earning the highest of all BMT awards. These individuals will submit an awards nomination package, take an instructor test, and meet a board comprised of Senior NCOs and, in some cases, former BMT Blue Ropes of the Year. The winner is recognized as the Air Force Basic Military Training MTI of the Year and his or her name is engraved on the BMT Blue Rope of the Year Monument that is located at the west entrance to the MTI Monument on the Lackland AFB Parade Field.
2005
Massey/2003, Bear/1998, Peura/1995, Pavey/1987, Listenbee/2004, Henry/1981, Grandberry/1990, Jewel/1996 & Bell/2000
2004
Largest reunion of BROY (9) October 2004. (LtoR) Grandberry 1990, Staton 1994, Bell 2000, Peura 1995, Henry 1981, Pavey 1987, Bear 1998, Massey 2003 and Dambacher 1991
2003
6 BROY at the MTIA Convention October 2003. (LtoR) Easton, Dambacher, Pavey, Henry, Grandberry, Bell
2002
8 BROY, 9 Nov 02. (L to R) SSgt King, 2Lt Jewel, CMSgt Grandberry, SMSgt Henry, CMSgt Pavey, MSgt Staton, TSgt Cribb, and SSgt Bell

1996
7 Blue Ropes Of the Year at the BMTS 50th anniversary... (left to right) Dambacher, Pavey, Creacy, Henry, Fox, Grandberry, and Staton
TSgt John J. Pavey, Jr. BROY 1987
TSgt Phillip Easton BROY 2002
TSgt Anthony Grandberry BROY 1990
SSgt Garry Henry BROY 1981