Refueling wing supervisor recognized for resiliency, leadership

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Wendy Kuhn
  • 121st Air Refueling Wing
RICKENBACKER AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ohio --  She leads and mentors 24 Airmen, oversees supply issues and is the interim Traffic Management Superintendent, but leaders at the 121st Air Refueling Wing here singled out Senior Master Sgt. Julie Murray for more.

Murray - Material Management Flight Chief in the Logistics Readiness Squadron - recently earned the Robert L. Boggs Leadership Award given annually to an Airmen deemed an outstanding leader.

"I love being able to mentor people," said Murray. "I love seeing them grow, be challenged and reach their goals."

Murray said that she keeps a flexible attitude toward work with others and how to grow and learn.

"I always say this, but it's so true," said Murray: "You need to be able to adapt and overcome."

Murray grew up on a 500-acre dairy in Bakersville, Ohio. She said that she wanted to do something else but did not know what. A friend convinced her to talk with the Air National Guard recruiter.

She enlisted in 1987 as a traditional Guard member. She trained in a career and earned pay for unit training assemblies. She also received college tuition assistance, and earned her bachelor's degree in 2006 in business management.

Murray accepted a fulltime position with the wing in 2003. 

"I still have that drive, energy and passion," said Murray. "But through supervising, I've learned to really hear people's stories. We all have different stories and it's important to really listen and see where people are coming from."

Murray shares her story on personal resiliency: she was not at work for six weeks this spring after a ruptured brain aneurysm. She was helping another Airman when she felt a tidal wave of weakness wash over her body. She has no memory of anything that followed until she woke up in the hospital, two days later.

Doctors told her that her excellent health and fitness contributed to her recovery with no permanent health deficits.

"I love working out, and prior to my incident I was working out almost every day," said Murray.