Driven to be better and better: AFSOC Airman earns 12 OAY recognition

Thirteen-year-old Alessandro Bianchini moved from Salerno, Italy, to the United States unable to speak a word of English.

Upon arriving in the U.S., Bianchini began the eighth grade in his new home of South Florida.

“It was hard to understand what was going on and hard to make friends,” Bianchini said.

While the first two to three years were an adjustment, by 2021, Bianchini had graduated high school. Shortly after, he received his permanent resident card, giving him the opportunity to pursue his new goal of joining the military.

“I always liked the military as a concept,” Bianchini said. “I think joining the military was a way for me to show how grateful I am for the opportunities this country gave us.”

Now, four years into his military career, Senior Airman Bianchini is one of the Air Force's 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year. The program recognizes enlisted Airmen for superior leadership, job performance and community involvement.

Initially, he couldn’t believe the news.

“Are you sure? Are you sure it's me?” Bianchini recalled asking.

Bianchini, a human resources and administration specialist assigned to Air Force Special Operations Command’s Air Commando Development Center, said the Air Force has given him opportunities to continue learning, take on new challenges and step outside his comfort zone.

After enlisting in August 2022, he went on to complete basic training and technical school, and arrived at Hurlburt Field, Florida, for his first assignment as a customer support technician at the 1st Special Operations Wing Military Personnel Flight.

While there, Bianchini developed an enthusiasm for his new career field.

“I really like helping people,” he said. “It was really satisfying to help people because they were so happy about it, and you could really feel that you're making a difference.”

In June 2024, Bianchini moved from the MPF to the 371st Special Operations Combat Training Squadron commander support staff, part of AFSOC's ACDC. The 371st SOCTS provides specialized combat training designed to prepare Air Force special operations forces to operate across a range of environments.

In this role, he supports Airmen across 20 expeditionary squadrons, eight groups and two joint task forces in the ACDC’s unique combat training environment. Bianchini has stepped into a leadership role, overseeing key personnel programs, training Airmen and supporting ACDC courses and mobile training efforts.

His contributions have extended beyond the traditional responsibilities of his career field. Bianchini earned two drone certifications and participated in field exercises supporting the squadron's combat training mission.

“We have a type of mission that's a little bit more peculiar than other squadrons,” Bianchini said. “It gives us the ability to try to do other things.”

U.S. Air Force Col. Kenny Hamlett, ACDC commander, said Bianchini's willingness to step outside his career field is part of what sets him apart.

“As soon as he saw what was going on around him, he just exploded with potential,” Hamlett said. “And not just potential, but actually doing things and serving other Airmen and preparing them for deployments.”

That drive to learn extends beyond Bianchini's primary duties, Hamlett noted.

The Airman who first arrived in the U.S. unable to speak English is now proficient in five languages.

Bianchini was selected for the Air Force's Language Enabled Airman Program and recently attended Airman Leadership School at the Inter-American Air Forces Academy at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, where he earned distinguished graduate honors. The program is conducted entirely in Spanish alongside students and instructors from partner nations across Latin America.

“It shows that I can actually cooperate not only in a joint environment with people from other countries, but I can fully partake in it because I can speak their language and understand where they're coming from,” Bianchini said.

Bianchini said he also makes a point to support the Airmen around him.

“I like to be somebody that others can count on,” he said. “Somebody that they can think of me as somebody to call in case they needed something, they needed information, or they just want advice.”

Chief Master Sgt. Eric Adkins, senior enlisted leader of the ACDC, said that mindset is part of what makes Bianchini stand out.

“He's one of those people that hopefully people look up to and want to be like,” Adkins said.

Outside of work, Bianchini also volunteers at the Air Force Enlisted Village in nearby Shalimar, Florida, a community for retired enlisted military members and their surviving spouses. He has helped organize volunteer efforts that contributed to more than 200 hours of service to the community.

Looking ahead, his next goals include completing his degree and eventually earning a commission. When he thinks back to the 13-year-old who left Italy for the U.S., Bianchini said the life he has now is something he could never have imagined.

Bianchini added the opportunities he has received continue to motivate his service.

“It's huge for me because it really drives me to be excellent because I have a big responsibility to thank my country and give back,” he said. “It really motivates me to try to always be better and better.”

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