Photo By Tech. Sgt. Madison Scaringe | Air National Guard Capt. Anton Andriyanov, a civil engineer assigned to the 109th...... read more read more
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STRATTON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.Y. — Capt. Anton Andriyanov from the New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing has been named the New York National Guard’s Company Grade Officer of the Year, recognized for exceptional leadership, mission execution and resource management both overseas and at home station.
Andriyanov, a civil engineer assigned to the wing based at Stratton Air National Guard Base in Schenectady, was honored for his contributions during a recent deployment and his continued efforts to improve the quality of life for Airmen in New York.
During a deployment, Andriyanov led a $31 million construction program at two forward operating bases while overseeing 15 infrastructure projects designed to improve mission capability and combat readiness. He also coordinated with the deployed country’s national and U.S. defense officials to advance $10.5 million in additional projects.
As part of those efforts, Andriyanov authored an installation development plan for a forward operating base in his deployed location, establishing standardized construction practices across the theater.
After returning to New York, he continued to strengthen the wing’s infrastructure. Andriyanov secured funding for four construction projects and oversaw the selection of a firm to design the wing’s first secure communications facility.
While his professional achievements earned him recognition across the New York National Guard, Andriyanov’s path to military service was anything but typical.
Originally from Ukraine, Andriyanov spent much of his teenage life in Spain. His parents had hoped to move to the United States after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, but immigration delays meant the family remained overseas for years.
The paperwork finally went through when Andriyanov and his parents were able to immigrate to the United States. The transition brought him to the capital region where he continued pursuing a college degree in mechanical engineering.
Military service was not originally part of his plan.
Growing up in the post-Soviet world, Andriyanov said he had a very different perception of military life.
“I had a skewed idea of what the military would be like,” he said. “I was thinking about Soviet-style living conditions and didn’t really see it as something I wanted to do.”
That perception changed when he attended a friend’s graduation from Basic Military Training at Joint Base San Antonio–Lackland in Texas.
Seeing the ceremony and the pride displayed by new Airmen changed his outlook.
“I saw the pride, the traditions, and how people carried themselves,” he said. “It was completely different from what I expected.”
Before joining the military, Andriyanov worked for a renewable energy company, but the idea of serving continued to grow on him. He commissioned into the 109th Airlift Wing in 2020.
Compared to his previous work in the corporate sector, Andriyanov said his role in the Air National Guard has been far more meaningful.
“It feels much more fulfilling,” he said.
In addition to his role as a civil engineer officer, Andriyanov currently serves as the officer in charge of the wing’s Commander’s Action Group, a volunteer-based initiative that brings Airmen from across the unit together to develop ideas that improve life on base.
The group works directly with wing leadership to identify opportunities and implement solutions.
Through the program, Airmen have helped launch several initiatives, including quarterly recognition programs, mentorship and professional development events such as “lunch and learn” sessions during drill weekends, and the revival of the wing’s Airman’s Attic program, which allows service members to donate and obtain uniform items.
The group is also working on additional programs tied to new Department of the Air Force physical fitness initiatives.
For Andriyanov, the Commander’s Action Group is about giving Airmen an opportunity to take ownership and grow.
“It gives Airmen a chance to own a project and see it through to the end,” he said. “That’s great for character development and professional development.”
Beyond the base, Andriyanov has also supported his local community by coordinating transportation and equipment for a homeschool sports team.
Andriyanov will now represent New York as he advances to compete with other Air National Guard members from across the country for the Air National Guard’s Best Airman awards.
| Date Taken: | 03.17.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.17.2026 14:18 |
| Story ID: | 560739 |
| Location: | NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 29 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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