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Four Airmen from the West Virginia Air National Guard’s 130th and 167th Airlift Wings recently competed against the best Air National Guardsmen in the nation for the Air National Guard’s Outstanding Airman of the Year.
Airman 1st Class Layz Simabukuro won the award for Airman of the Year and was also selected for the James Kemp McLaughlin Award. Simabukuro is a services journeyman assigned to the 167th Force Support Squadron and is responsible for preparing and serving meals for members of the wing. In tech school, she was the head white rope and served as a liaison between students and the Chaplains Corps. Additionally, she attended the Silver Flag Exercise and provided support during the 2017 Boy Scout Jamboree. Simabukuro is also a freshman at West Virginia University where she is in her second year as a cadet for the West Virginia Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (ROTC) as a double major in German and International Studies as is minoring in Arabic.
The Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year was 167th AW’s Tech. Sgt. Thomas Laign, a water and fuel systems maintenance craftsman with the 167th Civil Engineering Squadron. Laign is responsible for the maintenance of the base fueling systems, water systems and fire suppression systems and ensures that members of the 167th CES are trained and prepared to meet career duties and contingency requirements. On the civilian side, he is a substitute teacher in Frederick Country, Virginia and serves as an active mentor there.
The Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year is 130th Airlift Wing’s Senior Master Sgt. Shannon Bowling, who works in the 130th Security Forces Squadron. Bowling deployed in support of Operation Freedom Sentinel and won honors as the Security Forces Small Unit of the Year. He also established the 130th Security Forces Airman’s Council to address quality-of-life issues and overall moral.
The First Sgt. of the Year Award was given to Senior Master Sgt. Jason Lopez who serves as a First Sgt. for both the Wing Staff and Operations Group at the 130th Airlift Wing. He is also Vice President of the 130th AW First Sergeants’ Council, a volunteer with the Junior ROTC Drill Competition and has completed his CCAF Degree.
While none of the Airmen from West Virginia were selected, they exude the core values of integrity, selfless service and excellence in the organization.
“Each year, we seek to recognize the Airmen who represent the best of our Air National Guard,” said Chief Master Sgt. Ronald C. Anderson Jr., Command Chief Master Sergeant of the Air National Guard, in a story announcing the 2017 winners. “Our Outstanding Airmen of the Year come from every status and truly represent the 21st Century Guard Airmen. They fight America’s wars, strengthen our nation's partnerships, and defend our homeland every day, without fail, at home and around the world.”
| Date Taken: | 03.15.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 03.16.2018 15:07 |
| Story ID: | 269689 |
| Location: | CHARLESTON, WV, US |
| Web Views: | 723 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, West Virginia Air National Guard Outstanding Airmen of the Year award winners advance to national level, by SSgt Caleb Vance, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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