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Five 224th ADG Airmen earn medals

  • Published
  • By Tim Jones
  • Eastern Air Defense Sector
Rome, N.Y. --  

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

  • Senior Master Sgt. Jeremiah Martinez, Meritorious Service Medal. The 224th Air Defense Squadron’s operations training superintendent, Martinez re-organized training and instruction, which increased the number of Airmen trained annually by 50 percent. Martinez was also recognized for integrating 460 lesson plans from seven different sources, establishing a new curriculum for 30 instructors, and for his superior performance during a major Air Combat Command inspection.  

 

  • Senior Master Sgt. Carrie Pelland, Meritorious Service Medal. The 224th Air Defense Squadron’s air picture management section chief, Pelland was recognized for orchestrating multiple radars during 100 Presidential flights. An experienced weapons director, Pelland’s additional accomplishments included controlling 24 practice and exercise scrambles for flying units, teaching 285 academic hours and conducting 11 crew exercises.

 

  • 2nd Lt. Ray Shively, Air Force Commendation Medal. Recently commissioned, Shively was recognized for his work as an enlisted Airman, where he developed a new surveillance technician qualification program for more than 90 Airmen and supported 46 tactical actions during 72 Presidential movements. Other accomplishments included planning 40 training missions and scheduling more than 4,400 training hours.

 

  • Master Sgt. Angelina Palmer, Air Force Commendation Medal. Palmer was recognized for her work at EADS and at the Western Air Defense Sector in Tacoma, Washington, where she re-invigorated the unit’s Drug Reduction Program, achieved 100 percent mission completion on two NORAD inspections, and incorporated 45 changes into a communications panel re-design, reducing time delays by 75 percent. Since joining the 224th Air Defense Squadron, Palmer has supported more than 70 Presidential temporary flight restrictions and coordinated intelligence with federal law enforcement and aviation agencies.

 

  • Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Lambie,  Air Force Commendation Medal. A weapons director and tracking technician at the 224th Air Defense Squadron, Lambie was recognized for detecting 1,500 potential airborne threats and prosecuting more than 200 tracks of interests. Other accomplishments include controlling 65 fighter missions, supporting training for 92 pilots and nine flying units, and leading a mission planning cell for four geographically dispersed Battle Control Centers during a 2020 pandemic exercise.

 

The 224th ADG is composed of the 224th Air Defense Squadron and 224th SPTS, located in Rome, and Detachment 1 and Detachment 2 that serve in the Washington, D.C. area. The 224th 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.

Air National Guard promotions are based on overall performance, attitude, leadership ability and development potential. These promotions additionally recognize the best qualified Airmen and attract and retain the highest caliber Citizen Soldiers for a career in the New York Air National Guard.

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 224th Air Defense Group, visit www.eads.ang.af.mil.