Photo By Tech. Sgt. David Sherman | U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Dustin Henkenius, aircraft armament systems specialist, poses for a photo at the 122nd Fighter Wing, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Feb. 26, 2026. Henkenius was selected as the 2026 Outstanding Airman of the Year for Region 4. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. David Sherman) see less
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Blacksnake wins Region 4 Outstanding Airman of the Year
BAER FIELD AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ind.— Senior Airman Dustin Henkenius, an aircraft armament systems specialist assigned to the 122nd Fighter Wing in Fort Wayne, Indiana was selected as the 2026 Outstanding Airman of the Year for Region 4.
The region encompasses the Air National Guard units of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. State command chiefs from across the region gathered in February to evaluate submissions and identify the top Airmen to represent Region 4 at the national level.
“SrA Henkenius’s contributions to the F-16 conversion and war time readiness are the perfect example of what Indiana brings to the fight,” said Chief Master Sgt. Michael Dixon, Indiana state command chief.
Leadership noted that competition for the regional title was exceptionally fierce, and the selection of Henkenius validates his embodiment of the highest professional standards as a leader, wingman and warrior. He distinguished himself from highly deserving peers through a relentless pursuit of personal and professional excellence.
At his home unit, Henkenius plays a critical role in the combat readiness of the 122nd Fighter Wing. As an aircraft armament systems specialist, he is responsible for inspecting, maintaining and loading munitions and weapons systems on the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. Through precise maintenance practices, he ensures weapons release reliability and supports overall mission generation while providing expert technical guidance to fellow armament personnel.
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