Photo By Staff Sgt. Taylor Queen | Master Sgt. Peter Connor presents Senior Airman Benjamin Hathaway, both defenders with the 157th Security Forces Squadron, with a custom belt as Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Reiter, 157th Command Chief, and Col. Brian Carloni, 157th Air Refueling Wing Commander, applaud at Pease Air National Guard Base, New Hampshire, March 6th, 2026. Hathaway was presented the belt for winning the 2025 Security Forces Air Reserve Component Airman of the Year. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Taylor Queen) see less
| View Image Page
Senior Airman Benjamin Hathaway, a defender with the 157th Security Forces Squadron, was presented with a custom wrestling-style belt during a brief ceremony, March 6, 2026.
The presentation of the belt was the squadron’s internal way to recognize Hathaway’s achievement for winning the 2025 Security Forces Air Reserve Component Airmen of the Year. The award is given to an individual in the Air Force Reserve or Air National Guard whose exceptional dedication and professionalism has made a significant impact.
Master Sgt. Peter Connor, 157th Security Forces unit training manager said Hathaway is one of the Airmen that is always reliable.
“He never complains about anything,” said Connor. “He is always volunteering and helps keep the moral up in his squad.”
Connor also served as Hathaway’s squad leader during a recent deployment to Kuwait, which is where he stood out amongst his peers.
“I just kept a positive mindset and tried my hardest,” said Hathaway. “I didn’t want to look back and think I could have done better.”
During the deployment, Hathaway was not only a dependable resource, but also strove to continue his education goals after hours.
After his daily shifts in the desert he would remotely attend a full semester worth of college courses as well as conduct interviews for an internship.
“He never had to be asked to do anything.” added Connor. “If I needed something, he was probably already tracking and taking the next step.”
