JAG Airman named McConnell Icon

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Colby L. Hardin
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  An Airman from the 22nd Air Refueling Wing staff judge advocate was victorious at this year's McConnell Icon, a singing competition, Aug. 14, 2015, here.

Senior Airman Jaimes Erwin-Spring, 22nd ARW paralegal was named the winner.

Seven contestants from Team McConnell competed in this year's McConnell Icon. Each competitor had the opportunity to perform a song of their choice in hopes of winning and going on to compete at the next level at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Erwin-Spring will move on to compete against other Air Mobility Command wing level winners.

The winner of the AMC Icon competition will receive a chance to audition for Tops in Blue, the Air Force's premier traveling entertainment unit.

"I've been performing pretty much my whole life," said Erwin-Spring. "The chance to audition for Tops in Blue would be ideal, it's one of the things that I've been wanting to do for a while now."

Erwin-Spring placed second in last year's competition and went on to compete at AMC. The experience may have helped him, but inexperience may have helped others make it to the stage.

"Besides karaoke, this was my first time performing in front of a lot of people," said Senior Airman Keith Gallagher, 22nd Medical Support Squadron biomedical equipment technician. "I was very nervous. The hardest thing was actually getting started, but once I sung the first note, it was a lot easier from there."

Although the top three winners of the competition here won cash prizes, it was the joy of performing in front of the crowd that made contestants want to perform.

"I enjoy the competition; it's all about fun," said Erwin-Spring. "That's why I do it and have been doing it for so long."

The competition isn't only about cash prizes or a chance to perform with Tops in Blue, but it is also a chance for shy Airmen to come out of their shell.

"Before the competition, I didn't even like speaking to large groups of people," said Gallagher. "But now I definitely will continue to compete and hopefully get to perform with Tops in Blue."