SAN ANGELO, Texas - The 17th Training Wing hosted its Annual Awards Banquet Feb. 27, 2026, at the Fort Concho Stables in San Angelo, Texas. The event brought together commanders, supervisors, civic partners, nominees and families to celebrate excellence across Goodfellow Air Force Base and honor those whose contributions upheld the Air Force core values. The event began with the posting of the colors by Goodfellow’s Honor Guard and the singing of the national anthem. Distinguished guests and command teams from across the wing were recognized before the awards presentation. The awards were presented by Col. Matthew Norton, 17 TRW commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Derek Neill, 17 TRW command chief. San Angelo Mayor Tom Thompson served as the evening’s guest speaker. During his remarks, Thompson highlighted the vital role permanent party members play in supporting Goodfellow’s training mission and the future of the Air Force. “When people think about Goodfellow Air Force Base, they often think about the students and rightly so,” Thompson said. “They are the future of the Air Force, but tonight is not about them. Tonight is about you; the permanent party, the instructors, the planners, the evaluators, the maintainers, the professionals who show up every single day to make the mission work.”
Congratulations to the Annual Award winners!
Civilian Non-Supervisory Category I of the Year, Mr. Gavin Maltais, 17th Mission Support Group
Civilian Non-Supervisory Category II of the Year, Mr. Leonard Christo, 17th Mission Support Group
Civilian Supervisory Category II of the Year, Mr. Kevin Grimes, 17th Mission Support Group
Volunteer of the Year, Senior Airman Benjamin Preidis, 17th Mission Support Group
First Sergeant of the Year, Master Sgt. Landon Basham, 517th Training Group
Military Training Leader of the Year, Tech. Sgt. Mary Paz-Chiguina, 17th Training Group
Airman of the Year, Airman 1st Class Molly Griffiths, 17th Wing Staff Agencies
Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, Tech. Sgt. Neema Borji, 17th Mission Support Group
Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, Master Sgt. Rex Borck, 517th Training Group
Company Grade Officer of the Year, Capt. Michael Tavale, 517th Training Group
Field Grade Officer of the Year, Maj. Erika Volino, 17th Training Group
Honor Guard Member of the Year, Senior Airman Irmalitz Garza, 17th Medical Group
Honor Guard Program Manager of the Year, Staff Sgt. Omar Colmenero, 17th Training Group
Unit of the Year, 315th Training Squadron, 17th Training Group
The ceremony concluded with closing remarks from the 17th Training Wing commander. “Tonight we celebrate the excellence of our outstanding team working together to deliver the joint lethality that our nation depends on,” expressed Norton. “The accomplishments we recognize aren’t just impressive; They are essential to the security of our great nation.” The formal portion of the evening ended with the singing of the Air Force Song, marking the conclusion of the 17th Training Wing’s Annual Awards Ceremony.