Photo By Staff Sgt. Michelle Brooks | Nevada Guard leadership and congressional delegate representatives pose with the 2023...... read more read more
The Adjutant General of the State of Nevada, Maj. Gen. Ondra Berry, hosted the Nevada Air National Guard Annual Awards Ceremony recognizing the 2023 top performers on Jan. 7, 2024 at the Nevada Air National Guard Base. Around 750 members, friends, family and civilians attended the ceremony held in the Fuel Cell Hangar.
Dignitaries attending the annual event included Diana Brown Sanfilippo daughter of the Nevada Air National Guard’s only war fatality--Korea MIA 1st Lt. Frank Salazar, Tim Robb and Chase McNamara representing Governor Joe Lombardo; Candance Lopez representing Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto; Alex Goff representing Senator Jacky Rosen; and Susan Malone, Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army.
Despite the inclement weather affecting the traditional wear of the formal Air Force Blues attire, the ceremony proceeded. This year, the Nevada Air National Guard combined the Outstanding Airmen of the Year Banquet with the Annual Awards Ceremony for cost savings and enhanced camaraderie.
The Retro Radio Dolls, an all singing, all dancing female close harmony trio, added a festive touch with lively performances.
Senior Airman Lea Williams a systems operations specialist with the 232nd Combat Training Squadron (232 CTS) was selected as the Airman of the Year for the second consecutive year.
The 232 CTS is based in Las Vegas, and supports four active-duty organizations and trains pilots from across the country.
Williams embraces this challenge.
“I like to be and achieve what everyone else says is impossible, uncommon, or ‘too hard,’” said Williams, “My leadership also doesn’t make it very hard to just want to build myself to be the best I can be. Above all though, my parents are the real forces who make me want to be the best I can be. They do it every day, so why can’t I?”
Her advice to those junior Airmen that want to strive to be better, “Is to always push to be better. Don’t be how everyone thinks a young Airman should be but want to be better than that. Say yes to everything you’re capable of handling.”
She embraces the limelight, “My most favorite part about being Airman of the Year is the challenge it brings. People develop high expectations and expect more from/out of me. So, I get to show others how I can keep bringing way more to the table and really show what I’m capable of.”
Staff Sgt. Jaya Sicard, 152nd Intelligence Squadron, and Master Sgt. Jake Garfinkle, 152nd Maintenance Group were recognized as Noncommissioned Officer of the Year and Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, respectively. Master Sgt. Katie Cromeenes, 152nd Intelligence Squadron secured First Sergeant of the Year, while 1st Lt. Mariah Connell, 192nd Airlift Squadron, earned Company Grade Officer of the Year.
These winners will represent the Nevada Air National Guard at regional and national Airmen of the Year competitions.
The safety office presented the Colonel Mervin T. Johnson Memorial Trophy. This award was established to recognize those individuals who contribute to the 152nd Airlift Wing’s mission success and safety. Tragically, the unit lost Colonel Johnson in an aircraft accident in 1969.
This year, the safety award was presented to the crew of ROLER 11: Maj. David McNally, Capt. Boyan Alexandrov, Lt. Col. Merridy Young, Master Sgt. Gregory Hull, and Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Ediss.
On July 28, 2023, ROLER11 took off out of Schoonover, California, from a dirt landing zone for a return flight to Reno. Approximately 15 minutes into the flight the crew experienced a complete utility hydraulic system failure. This meant that the crew would be unable to lower gear or flaps automatically, and that they would not have normal braking. The flight engineer, Hull, was able to lower the flaps manually but was initially unable to get the gear into a safe position for landing. Utilizing crew experience, both in the aircraft and on the ground through the radios, multiple alternate methods were attempted before a safe condition for landing was achieved. With the aircraft fully configured, the crew was able to land safely with no further incident. The resourcefulness and experience of the crew of ROLER11 prevented a potentially catastrophic gear up landing that would have put themselves and their passengers at incredible risk.
Other various awards, such as the Recruiter of the Year Award, Unit Career Advisor of the Year, Chief’s Council Award, various Commander’s Excellence Awards and the Adjutant General’s Silver Sentinel Awards were also presented at the ceremony. Altogether 25 awards were presented to Airmen and sections across the 152nd Airlift Wing.
| Date Taken: | 01.07.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 02.08.2024 14:19 |
| Story ID: | 463487 |
| Location: | RENO, NEVADA, US |
| Web Views: | 124 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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Award Ceremony
