192nd Fighter Wing holds Fifth Annual Awards Banquet

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Johnisa Roberts and Senior Airman Kellyann Novak
  • 192nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. --  The 192nd Fighter Wing honored the achievements of its members during the fifth annual holiday awards banquet at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, Dec. 10, 2016.

The wing recognized Airmen from Wing Staff, Maintenance, Medical, Mission Support and Operations Groups for their outstanding efforts in 2016.

"We have such an outstanding group, and I am humbled and amazed by all of your achievements," said Col. Stephen H. Bunting, 192nd FW commander. "I am truly impressed and proud of the personnel that we have assembled, the team that we have built and the accomplishments that we have been able to achieve this year."

The state-level award recipients were: Senior Airman Melinda S. Van Leliveld, 192nd OG, as Outstanding Airman of the Year; Tech. Sgt. Megan E. Bryant, 192nd MSG, as Outstanding NCO of the Year; Master Sgt. Michelle M. Conaway, 192nd OG, as Outstanding SNCO of the Year and Outstanding Virginia National Guardsman of the Year; and Master Sgt. Troy B. Mills, 192nd MXG, as Outstanding First Sergeant of the Year for the Virginia Air National Guard.

Brig. Gen. Dean A. Tremps, Air Component commander of the VaANG, attended the ceremony and presented the awards to the state-level recipients. He congratulated them for their dedication and service and recognized the 192nd Intelligence Squadron for earning their second consecutive Air Force Meritorious Unit Award.

"It's a privilege to be here to celebrate and recognize our outstanding Airmen of the 192nd," said Tremps. "I also want to recognize that the 192nd IS won the Air Force Meritorious Unit Award for the second year in a row... that's an exceptional accomplishment."

Following the awards ceremony, the banquet continued with dinner and the annual holiday spirit competition. Each group competed to show their camaraderie and enthusiasm for the holiday event with various themes, decorations and costumes. This year, the Fighter Wing Staff won the "Spirit" award competition with their How the Grinch Stole the Holidays theme.

Members continued the annual tradition of giving back to the local community by generously donating more than 608 pounds of canned food items during the event. These donations were delivered to the Virginia Peninsula Food Bank to support others in need during the holiday season.