Master Sgt. Josh Pence has been selected as the Kentucky Air National Guard’s First Sergeant of the Year for 2026 and will be honored at the Airman’s Gala banquet here Saturday night.
Pence serves as first sergeant for the 123rd Medical Group, where he helps lead a team of 94 medical professionals spanning multiple disciplines. Drawing on his extensive civilian experience as a paramedic and the owner of a primary care practice, Pence fosters mentorship and hands-on training that ensure the group’s readiness to respond to real-world medical contingencies, according to Col. Tricia Adams, group commander.
Under his leadership, the unit successfully completed its first exercise evaluation in six years, with Pence helping guide a joint medical team through multiple hot-zone missions for the treatment of more than 100 patients. To improve command visibility and safety, he engineered an innovative team-tracking system that delivered real-time accountability of all downrange personnel.
Pence was also instrumental in strengthening partnerships within the organization. By spearheading integrated physical training sessions and developing a new augmentee program, he revitalized esprit de corps between the medical group and its detachment, resulting in a more cohesive, mission-ready team, Adams said.
Dedicated to the welfare of his Airmen, Pence resolved complex personnel challenges — including a critical paternity leave case — that directly supported family stability and retention. His leadership extended beyond the unit, where he co-founded and manages a primary care clinic serving more than 1,300 community members, further demonstrating his dedication to public service and resilience.
Leveraging his paramedic credentials, Pence delivered advanced trauma training to a search-and-extraction team, ensuring they were prepared for high-risk recovery missions. He also recognized excellence within his ranks, presenting personal leadership coins to high-performing Airmen during evaluations to foster pride and professional growth across the unit.
“Transitioning from a high-stakes medic role to become medical group first sergeant requires a unique shift in focus, and Master Sgt. Pence handled it seamlessly,” Adams said. “He took the same intensity he used during search-and-extraction missions and applied it to taking care of our Airmen. He knows exactly what his medics are going through because he’s been in the trenches with them. He is the first one in and last one out whenever an Airman is in need.”