‘Best of the Best’ in the Guam Air Guard named
- Gov. Lourdes Leon Guerrero, commander-in-chief of the Guam National Guard, gives her opening remarks during the Guam Air National Guard’s Enlisted Awards Banquet on Saturday, Feb. 2, at the Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort, in Oka, Tamuning, Guam. (Guam National Guard)
- Staff Sgt. Matthew Naputi, from the Guam Air National Guard’s 254th Security Forces Squadron, is presented with his award during the Guam Air National Guard’s Enlisted Awards Banquet on Saturday, Feb. 2, at the Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort, in Oka, Tamuning, Guam. From left to right are: Chief Master Sgt. John Quinata, GUANG Command Chief; Lt. Col. Esther Aguigui, The Adjutant General of the Guam National Guard; Gov. Leon Guerrero; Staff Sgt. Naputi; Mrs. Malani Naputi; Brig. Gen. Johnny Lizama, Assistant Adjutant General for Air, Guam National Guard; State Command Sgt. Major Melchor Hennegan, State Enlisted Advisor; and Col. Graham Botha, Commander, 254th Air Base Group, Guam Air National Guard. (Guam National Guard)
- Master Sgt. Jerry Hinkle, from the Guam Air National Guard’s 254th Security Forces Squadron, is presented with his award by Gov. Lourdes Leon Guerrero, commander-in-chief of the Guam National Guard, third from left, during the Guam Air National Guard’s Enlisted Awards Banquet on Saturday, Feb. 2, at the Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort, in Oka, Tamuning, Guam. From left to right: Chief Master Sgt. John Quinata, GUANG Command Chief; Lt. Col. Esther Aguigui, The Adjutant General of the Guam National Guard; Gov. Leon Guerrero; Master Sgt. Jerry Hinkle; Brig. Gen. Johnny Lizama, Assistant Adjutant General for Air, Guam National Guard; State Command Sgt. Major Melchor Hennegan, State Enlisted Advisor; and Col. Graham Botha, Commander, 254th Air Base Group, Guam Air National Guard. (Guam National Guard)
- Staff Sgt. Matthew Naputi, from the Guam Air National Guard’s 254th Security Forces Squadron, is presented with his award during the Guam Air National Guard’s Enlisted Awards Banquet on Saturday, Feb. 2, at the Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort, in Oka, Tamuning, Guam. From left to right are: Chief Master Sgt. John Quinata, GUANG Command Chief; Lt. Col. Esther Aguigui, The Adjutant General of the Guam National Guard; Gov. Leon Guerrero; Staff Sgt. Naputi; Mrs. Malani Naputi; Brig. Gen. Johnny Lizama, Assistant Adjutant General for Air, Guam National Guard; State Command Sgt. Major Melchor Hennegan, State Enlisted Advisor; and Col. Graham Botha, Commander, 254th Air Base Group, Guam Air National Guard. (Guam National Guard)
- Staff Sgt. Matthew Naputi, from the Guam Air National Guard’s 254th Security Forces Squadron, is presented with his award during the Guam Air National Guard’s Enlisted Awards Banquet on Saturday, Feb. 2, at the Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort, in Oka, Tamuning, Guam. From left to right are: Chief Master Sgt. John Quinata, GUANG Command Chief; Lt. Col. Esther Aguigui, The Adjutant General of the Guam National Guard; Gov. Leon Guerrero; Staff Sgt. Naputi; Mrs. Malani Naputi; Brig. Gen. Johnny Lizama, Assistant Adjutant General for Air, Guam National Guard; State Command Sgt. Major Melchor Hennegan, State Enlisted Advisor; and Col. Graham Botha, Commander, 254th Air Base Group, Guam Air National Guard. (Guam National Guard)
- U.S. Army Lt. Col. Esther Aguigui, The Adjutant General of the Guam National Guard, addresses about 400 airmen, family members and guests, during the Guam Air National Guard’s Enlisted Awards Banquet on Saturday, Feb. 2, at the Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort, in Oka, Tamuning, Guam. (Guam National Guard)
Airmen, family members, and guests gathered for the Guam Air National Guard’s Enlisted Awards Banquet on Saturday, Feb. 2, at the Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort Hotel’s Ballroom in Oka, Tamuning, for the announcement of the 2018 Outstanding Airmen of the Year.
And the winners are:
Airman of the Year: Senior Airman Sky Topasna, 254th RED HORSE Squadron
Noncommissioned Officer of the Year: Staff Sgt. Matthew Naputi, 254th Security Forces Squadron
Senior NCO of the Year: Master Sgt. Jerry Hinkle, 254th Security Forces Squadron
Aside from glass trophies to recognize their accomplishments, the airmen and soldiers received gift baskets filled with a variety of gifts courtesy of the Guam Chamber of Commerce’s Armed Forces Committee; the Enlisted Association of the National Guard, Guam Chapter; the National Guard Association of Guam, and the Guam Air Guard’s Defenders Association.
The Guam Air National Guard winners now move on to vie for top airman among the Pacific Air Forces Air Guard units and, at the same time, go up against nominees from 53 other states and territories across the Air National Guard. If they win at this level, they will compete in the Air Force-wide selection of the top airmen. Guam Guard airmen in recent years have won at all three higher levels. (PR)