Six ADG Airmen earn medals

The 224^th Air Defense Group (ADG) at the Eastern Air Defense Sector recently recognized six New York Air National Guardsmen for outstanding performance. The Airmen included:

• Lt. Col. Peter Fitzgerald, Meritorious Service Medal. A traditional, part-time Guardsman with the 224^th Support Squadron, Fitzgerald developed an innovative technical solution that improved the unit’s communications security while reducing computer hardware. Fitzgerald also played a key role in a major project that separated mission information and training information on EADS operations floor and provided significant contributions to five higher-headquarters projects.
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• Maj. Joe Breunig, Meritorious Service Medal. A traditional, part-time Guardsman who serves at the 224^th Support Squadron, Breunig helped upgrade the unit’s cyberspace architecture, which replaced outdated capabilities throughout the North American Aerospace Defense Command and Northern Command. He also improved communication with mission partners and instituted several best-practice budgeting methods as a resource advisor.
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• Tech. Sgt. Michael Carson, Air Force Commendation Medal. A client systems craftsman at the 224^th Support Squadron, Carson enabled EADS continuous operations by coordinating solutions for 5,000 trouble tickets in the last four years. Carson also facilitated $750,000 in computer upgrades, implemented a new Air Force operating system for more than 300 users and dozens of i-Phones, and coordinated 271 ceremonies as the 224th Air Defense Group Honor Guard Program Manager.
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• Tech. Sgt. Chris Dorion, Air Force Commendation Medal. A mission defense team technician at the 224^th Support Squadron, Dorion orchestrated 272 radar integrations for more than 200 presidential events over the last two years. Dorion also successfully managed 15 major system outages and 680 Federal Aviation Administration asset repairs, ensuring EADS around-the-clock mission was uninterrupted.
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• Tech. Sgt. Javon Wimberly, Air Force Achievement Medal. A cyber transport systems technician at 224^th Support Squadron, Wimberly successfully integrated more than 200 radar feeds into EADS air picture, expanding the picture by hundreds of square miles and maximizing security for Presidential flights and other critical national events. He also managed the restoration of 21 mission-critical cameras in the National Capital Region and oversaw an equipment inventory of 317 items worth more than $2.6 million, guaranteeing 100 percent asset availability.
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• Staff Sgt. Laura Fontana, Air Force Commendation Medal and Air Force Achievement Medal. A Security Forces craftsman at the 224^th Support Squadron, Fontana received the Commendation Medal for her work as the unit’s Security Manager over a two-year period, where she processed security clearances for 40 Airmen and more than a dozen visitors. She also spearheaded a new Security Forces radio program and ensured all equipment complied fully with communications security directives. Fontana received the Achievement Medal for her outstanding effort in December 2020, when she completed 240 training exercise and evaluation outlines that established the initial performance metrics for data-driven decision making within Security Forces.

The 224^th ADG is composed of the 224^th Air Defense Squadron and 224^th SPTS, located in Rome, and Detachment 1 and Detachment 2 that serve in the Washington, D.C. area. The 224^th ADG provides the forces to conduct the Eastern Air Defense Sector’s (EADS) mission. Part of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the Sector is responsible for the air defense of the eastern U.S.

For more information about the New York Air National Guard, visit www.dmna.ny.gov. For more information on the Eastern Air Defense Sector and the 224^th Air Defense Group, visit www.eads.ang.af.mil.