Vermont Air Guard celebrates Top Performing Airmen of 2014

SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT, UNITED STATES

04.04.2015

Story by Airman 1st Class Dana Alyce-Schwarz 

158th Fighter Wing

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. - More than two dozen members of the Vermont Air National Guard (VTANG) gathered to be acknowledged as the top performing members of their unit.

To be recognized as a top performer, the men and women of the VTANG need to do more than simply complete their duties on the base. Supervisors look for a mix of dedication, determination and a strong, positive attitude regarding their work. Community involvement and volunteerism are also a common trait among the Guardsmen selected.

Members selected as top performers cover all levels of the VTANG, from senior enlisted down to the newest of Airmen. Airman 1st Class Michael Strand, an operations intelligence specialist, recently returned home from basic training and was surprised to find that he had been put forward as a top performer.

“I was the top graduate in my class of over 600 trainees at basic training,” said Strand, who joined the 158th Fighter Wing this past year. “It’s very welcoming to have the people here acknowledging that effort. It makes for an invitation to keep working, to stay on the same path, keep doing my best for the VTANG as well as for myself.”

While providing support for one another throughout all levels of the Wing is essential to mission success, it is just as important for Airmen to be self-motivated. Senior Airman Grace Metayer, an administration specialist in the Medical Group, frequently distinguishes herself in just that way.

Metayer was put forward as a top performer by her supervisor, Senior Master Sgt. Andrea Peryea, the noncommissioned officer in charge of Medical Administration. Metayer was selected as Airman of the Year in 2014. She streamlined several procedures in the administration of the Medical Group and revamped the VTANG’s annual medical processing, increasing the accuracy of the program by 100 percent along with a 33 percent increase in efficiency.

The Airmen selected as top performers agree that their success is not something they reached independently. The relationship among members of the base and offices are what allows the unit to achieve such high levels of personal and mission success.

“Every day is a learning experience,” said Metayer. “The discipline and patience we practice here carries into our lives outside the Guard. We have dedicated mentors and staff who we work with and we wouldn’t be able to get nearly as far without their support. Strong mentors lead to a strong, successful unit.”

Outside of the VTANG Metayer volunteers in youth sports, at homeless shelters and organized a food drive for underprivileged children. She accomplished this while working as a full-time student in a bachelor’s degree program at Norwich University and completing her mandatory training for her military career.

“I have a very talented and dedicated group of Airmen in my office,” said Peryea. “But selecting Metayer was not a difficult decision. I know that I can rely on her to take on a task, to not only do what I ask of her but execute it flawlessly. She frequently takes on projects and leads by example. Metayer has proven time and again that she is an asset to the VTANG.”

• Date Taken: 04.04.2015
• Date Posted: 05.03.2015 17:16
• Story ID: 162107
• Location: SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT, US