Roger that! Air Force Reservist snags coveted Tops in Blue 'Golden Roger' award

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Amaani Lyle
  • 459th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs Office
ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. --  The list of winners over the years in the Air Force Tops In Blue Golden Roger award history would be a lot larger if talent were the only prerequisite.

But his peers and prior award recipients on the judge's panel agree that Master Sgt. Derrick Wright, 459th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron training manager, earned the December 2007 nod in the program's 56-year history for being a true inspiration to so many other talents.

In addition to proving himself a worthy showman on tour with TIB years ago, Sergeant Wright set his sights on building a legacy of strong talent by helping to developing a TIB workshop here. Team Andrews boasts an uncommonly high percentage of people selected to attend the AF World Wide Talent Contest at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. As an Alpha team leader on the AF Entertainment staff for 11 years, Sergeant Wright was selected specifically to develop talent for the tour. The Golden Roger is a lifetime achievement award, the highest an individual can receive.

"We're looking for those diamonds in the rough," Sergeant Wright said.
"We have 10 days to get to know the contestants, gain their confidence, recognize their strengths and weaknesses and improve upon both. We evaluate their potential to see if they have what it takes to be considered for the Tops In Blue tour."

TIB is a significant aspect of Air Force history. What began as an Air Force talent contest in 1953 evolved into the winners forming an eclectic musical revue complete with dancers, singers, musicians and stagehands. These musical ambassadors have entertained audiences around the world at virtually every Air Force base, even in the area of responsibility.

If a year of touring isn't taxing enough, troupe members must get immersed in every aspect of Tops In Blue: dancing, singing and even staging.

"Staging is one of the toughest things you'll ever have to do," Sergeant Wright said. "Your day starts at about 4 a.m. with (physical training), and long before and after the show, the entire stage needs to be set up and broken down."

The rigorous 12-14 hour days seven days a week of training, rehearsing, staging and of course, singing, means TIB performers have very different experiences than the conventional "rock stars on the road." But Sergeant Wright avers that both the Team Andrews's workshop and TIB are dedicated much more to building self-esteem and creating outstanding Airman.

"Since there is no replacement for a TIB member at their home station, we make sure we send them back to their shops as dynamos," Sergeant Wright said. "Most everyone selected for TIB has the confidence, motivation and productivity of three people when they get back to work."

Senior Airman Amber Peterson, 459th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron services journeyman, said though she wasn't ultimately selected for TIB, the journey to final auditions at Lackland AFB was enriching and intense.

"I took the Team Andrews workshop -Sergeant Wright was tough when he needed to be and kinder other times," she said with a smile. "It was interesting to see older video tapes of ourselves and the transformation that took place over the weeks."

Lt. Col. Margaret Schmidt, 459th AES deputy chief of administrative operations, said she "nudged" Sergeant Wright to talk about his involvement with TIB.

"Sergeant Wright is a humble man who was reluctant to talk about this award," Colonel Schmidt said. "But it's so important for him to share his talent and inspire others to pursue or develop theirs."

For more information about Tops In Blue, or the workshop here, e-mail Sergeant Wright at derrick.wright@andrews.af.mil or visit www.topsinblue.com. Active Duty Air Force Reservists and Air National Guard are eligible.