EADS Civilian and Airmen Win Prestigious ANG and 1st Air Force Awards

  • Published
  • By Tim Jones
  • EADS
An operations crew, two New York Air National Guardsmen and a civilian employee at the Eastern Air Defense Sector have been recognized as outstanding performers by the Air National Guard and the U.S. Continental North American Aerospace Defense Region/1st Air Force.

The Air National Guard announced its 2015 Battle Management Command and Control awards on March 4. EADS winners were:

· Master Sgt. Russell DelMedico, 224th Support Squadron, was named Outstanding Command and Control Support Professional in the Senior Noncommissioned Officer category. A Sauquoit resident, DelMedico developed and coordinated a new antennae inspection plan, resulting in the elimination of a three-year backlog.

He also planned a major battle control center renovation and established inspection standards for more than a dozen radios that support crucial homeland defense missions.

· Staff Sgt. Kathleen Bielecki, 224th Air Defense Squadron, received the Outstanding Command and Control Battle Management Operator award in the Airman category. Bielecki, a Clinton resident, was recognized for her technical expertise.

She qualified as a weapons director while holding the rank of Senior Airman and expertly controlled 15 support sorties for air defense operations and an additional 30 training sorties. She was also recognized as a superior performer during a major air defense exercise in the Washington, D.C.-area.

· Alpha Crew, 224th Air Defense Squadron, was named outstanding ground-based Battle Management Command and Control Crew. Alpha Crew conducted superb air defense operations throughout the year, responding to nearly 400 flights that posed possible threats and controlling more than 250 live missions.

The crew also directed and controlled air defense efforts for some of the nation's most prominent events, including Pope Francis's visit to the U.S., the State of the Union Address and the United Nations General Assembly.

Alpha Crew, DelMedico and Bielecki now advance to the Air Force awards program, where they will compete against winners from the active-duty Air Force and Air Force Reserve.

Continental North American Aerospace Defense Region -1st Air Force announced its annual award winners on March 2. Sonepith Keoviengsamay, a Rome resident, was named Category III Civilian of the Year - Category III is composed of federal civilians holding the grade of GS-12 or higher.

A cyber security systems analyst with the 224th Support Squadron at EADS, Keoviengsamay led a project that improved critical information access for EADS leadership. He also oversaw an e-mail migration project for more than 340 users and assisted in planning more than 80 projects. Keoviengsamay will now go on to compete in the civilian awards competition at NORAD.