WADS annual award winners announced

  • Published
  • By Maj. Kimberly D. Burke, Western Air Defense Sector Public Affairs

The winners of the 2018 Western Air Defense Sector annual awards were announced during a ceremony Dec. 1, 2018.  The nominees for each award category were the winners of their respective unit annual awards.  The WADS is made up of the 225th Air Defense Group, 225th Air Defense Squadron and 225th Support Squadron. 

The WADS annual award winners are:

Airman of the Year: 

Senior Airman Zachary Fleet, 225th Air Defense Squadron interface control technician

Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year:

Staff Sgt. Jared Denton, 225th Air Defense Squadron NCOIC surveillance training

Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year:

Master Sgt. Sara Haynes, 225th Support Squadron NCOIC of logistics

Company Grade Officer of the Year:

Capt. Marvin Yamada, 225th Air Defense Squadron weapons flight commander

Drill Status Guardsmen CGO of the Year:

Capt. Collette Muller, 225th Air Defense Group public affairs officer

Drill Status Guardsmen Category I: 

Staff Sgt. Catherine Pearce, 225th Support Squadron emergency management specialist

Civilian Category I: 

Barry Arzberger, 225th Support Squadron HVAC technician

Civilian Category II: 

Bruce Robie, 225th Support Squadron National Airspace System Defense program manager


The 225th Support Squadron annual award winners are:

Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year:

Staff Sgt. Edwin Aviles, infrastructure technician

Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year:

Master Sgt. Sara Haynes, NCOIC of logistics

Company Grade Officer of the Year:

Capt. Paul Fisher, chief of mission systems

Drill Status Guardsmen Category I: 

Staff Sgt. Catherine Pearce, emergency management specialist

Civilian Category I: 

Barry Arzberger, HVAC technician

Civilian Category II: 

Bruce Robie, National Airspace System Defense program manager


The 225th Air Defense Squadron annual award winners are:

Airman of the Year: 

Senior Airman Zachary Fleet, interface control technician

Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year:

Staff Sgt. Jared Denton, NCOIC surveillance training

Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year:

SNCO: Master Sgt. Julietta Swim, superintendent of data link operations

Company Grade Officer of the Year:

CGO: Capt. Marvin Yamada, weapons flight commander


The 225th Air Defense Group command staff annual award winners are:

Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year:

Tech. Sgt. Jocelyn Somol, human resource specialist

Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year:

Master Sgt. Malinda Gonnuscio, training manager

Drill Status Guardsmen CGO of the Year:

Capt. Collette Muller, public affairs officer

Civilian Category I:

Richard Gonzales, personnel specialist

Civilian Category II: 

Kimberly Burke, public affairs manager


The WADS winners in each category will compete against the other Washington Air National Guard wings (194th Wing and 141st Air Refueling Wing) during the Washington Air National Guard annual awards.  The WA ANG Annual Awards banquet will be held Feb. 9, 2019 at the Hotel Murano in Tacoma, Washington.