AUGUSTA, Maine — The Outstanding Airman of the Year for Maine serves with the MAINEiacs — the 101st Air Refueling Wing in Bangor — and is in the running for accolades at the national level and as one of the Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year.
Senior Airman Travis R. Stewart, who is part of the 101st security forces squadron, was named the 2011 State of Maine Outstanding Airman of the Year on Sunday at a ceremony held at the National Guard Armory.
“Senior Airman Stewart relentlessly seeks out challenges and meets them head on,” Capt. Devin Robinson, spokesman for the Maine Air National Guard, said in a statement. “His exemplary performance and professionalism contributed to his selection for high-profile security details involving senior military officials, civilian executives as well as presidential security.”
Stewart, who is training at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada for an upcoming overseas deployment was not at the ceremony, so Lt. Col. Joel Nadeau accepted the honor for him.
Established by the secretary of the Air Force in 1968 and first awarded in 1970, the Outstanding Airman of the Year program recognizes the top enlisted airmen in three categories: airman, noncommissioned officer and senior noncommissioned officer.
“It is the highest personal ribbon an airman can earn,” Robinson said.
Stewart was honored as the state’s top airman and the overall Outstanding Airman of the Year for the entire state, the captain said.
He was not the only member of the 101st honored. Master Sgt. Chad E. Smith, part of the 101st maintenance group, was named the Outstanding Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year.
Smith said Sunday that he was honored by the award, but added, “I work with a great bunch of people who are equally deserving.”
Smith, who lives in Orono, joined the military after graduating high school in 1989.
“All through high school I wanted to join the Air Force, like my father,” he said. “I wanted to follow in his footsteps.”
His dad, Clint Smith, is a veteran who earned the rank of Staff Sergeant.
In addition to the 101st airmen, others from the 243rd Engineering and Installation Squadron and the 265th Combat Communications Squadron, both of South Portland, were honored.
Staff Sgt. Joel T. Crowley, from the 265th, was named the state’s Outstanding Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year and Master Sgt. Howard H. Gooldrup III, of the 243rd, is Maine’s First Sergeant of the Year.
Maine Honor Guard member, Staff Sgt. Erin Ryan, also was honored after earning national accolades as the 2010 Honor Guard Member of the Year.
Gov. Paul LePage was the first sitting Maine governor to attend the annual Outstanding Airman of the Year ceremony and he originally was to be joined by Maj. Gen. John “Bill” Libby, adjutant general of the Maine National Guard, who was unable to attend, Robinson said.
Libby will retire from state service this month after a 44-year military career.
LePage thanked all of the men and woman in uniform at the ceremony “for their honorable and courageous service to our state and nation” and gave extra thanks to those honored on Sunday.
“All the award recipients today have shown exemplary character, loyalty, and dedicated service and they all deserve our thanks and praise for the sacrifices they make on our behalf,” the governor said.
What a classy thing for our governor to do. Let the “Penguin” folks begin their denigration of our leader.
nice pic……neeee, see I’m a good guy! Not!
They are all out having dinner on us.
They’ll have plenty of complimentary comments for the Governor when they return.
Just finished dinner and thought I would see what the Lipton Crime family is doing, eh?
I gotta say John Worked hard to become a BG. Just like this Admiral LOL
Funded by our tax dime of course.
Navy Pilot Who Shot Down U.S. Plane Makes Admiral
February 17, 2012
http://battleland.blogs.time.com/2012/02/17/navy-pilot-who-shot-down-u-s-plane-makes-admiral/?iid=obnetwork
Safe to bet Obama is not going to be there then….
Thank God!!!!!!!!!
Yes indeed, Mr. LePage was able to stay for dessert this time.
Three years ago I decided to head down to a branch of BG John Libby’s crime family operating out of Fort Benning Georgia called School of the Americas.
This Army base is where soldiers and assassins from Central America and South American dictatorships are sent to be trained in techniques for assassinating and silencing union organizers, school teachers
and political candidates on behalf of American corporations.
For the last 20 or so years people have traveled to the gates of Fort Benning every fall in an attempt to stop Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins , Chellie Pingree and Mike UnBalanced Michaud from spending our tax dime used to fund this school of assassins.
There were over 15,000 people during the three days I was there.
I went down to interview the founder of School of Americas Watch Catholic priest Father Ray Bourgois
You can find out more by going to their website soaw.org
Where do moonbats like you come up with these totally dishonest lies? What do you have against the military? you need more medication!!!!
Did you see the tweet the people of Fallujah sent to ” I found it at Mardens LePage?
That
was in November of 2004. The site of the massacre was Fallujah, Iraq.
In that barbaric siege, US Marines turned an entire city into a
free-fire zone after warning its inhabitants to leave. Men and boys,
however, were turned back, forced to face an onslaught of napalm,
cluster bombs, white phosphorus shells and other munitions that
incinerated their victims and brought their homes crashing down upon
them. Of the 50,000 Fallujans who were either unwilling or unable to
flee, more than 6,000 lost their lives. Fully 60 percent of the city’s
buildings were demolished or damaged.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=latestNews
Haha, maybe you should have been in Fallujah.
It’s the Obama pill they take after every meal. Mandated by Obama and paid for by American taxpayers.
your comment is cheap and dishonest Edited it again. then go back to spongebob, patrick
Yo Jerky: Would love to get down with you and discuss your opinions about “peace”, eh?
You can call me at http://www.answercoalition.org/march-forward/ and ask for msfreeh
If I am not there ask for Mike Prysner and he will take a message for me.
see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrTU2ulwtPA
No thanks, I’m too busy serving my country to bother engaging in mindless discussion with somebody who clearly is not patriotic and takes full advantages of the freedoms I provide. Your welcome, OUT.
LOL ok Jerky if you say so.
You know where you can take your Exxon Mobil sponsored Patrioism.
Nah. don’t have any inclination to join your ” be a good german” patriot movement”.
To view a list of books called a annotated bibliography 6 pages long that
look at crimes committed by FBI agents against freedom loving Americans see
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=29177
You can also watch the new documentary A NOBLE LIE featuring
Republican State representative for Oklahoma City Charles Key; Hoppy Heidelberg
a horse rancher from Blanchard Oklahoma and a member of the Oklahoma City bombing Grand Jury; former Marine and attorney Jesse Trentadue; other members of law enforcement and surviving family members of people who were assassinated investigating the Oklahoma City bombing
check out the film. Yea I know I am biased, after all we brought Hoppy Heidelberg and Charles Key to speak in Maine in 1999 and 2002 respectively.
So what if the film convicts the FBI of creating the Oklahoma City bombing with tough guys like you to protect us what do we have to worry about LOL
Yo Dude check this out man http://www.boycottliberalism.com/Toptenlies.htm
Couldn’t meet with the President or meet with Maine loggers…but he can make time to swing by the “Outstanding airman of the year”…Just keep making it up as you go, LIEpage.
The military takes higher priority than Nobama when it comes to protecting your classless butt. Try to take one day off and get some sense of humanity!!!!
I hope the General’s wife is doing well. I know they like spending time in the Carolinas. My best wishes are for them in their retirement.
This is a disgrace to the military to have him anywhere near a mitiltary function. Go back to Canada
Hey, watch that. I’m a Metis (French & Micmac) from Canada. Paul and i speak the same language and we can talk about you to your face and you won’t understand a word. But,,,,,,,,,,unlike you, our words will not be hatefilled or mean spirited!!!!!!
And this is news just why?