175th Wing Airmen win four national civil engineer awards
By Master Sgt. Chris Schepers
MIDDLE RIVER, Md. – Four Maryland Air National Guard Airmen assigned to the 175th Civil Engineer Squadron at Martin State Air National Guard Base won 2023 Air National Guard Civil Engineer Awards and will move on to the Air Force level competition.
The ANG awards program annually recognizes civil engineer units, Airmen, and civilian personnel for outstanding achievement throughout the year.
Maryland Air National Guard Master Sgt. Blake A. Hanley, a 175th CES electrical power production technician, was awarded the Society of American Military Engineers Goddard Medal and is the first ANG member to receive the award since 2007.
“I must emphasize that this award is a result of teamwork,” said Hanley. “Without the incredible talents of my colleagues this accomplishment would not have been possible. I am incredibly grateful for this honor, and I see it as a tribute to the outstanding work that my CE family has achieved. This medal really belongs to all of us!”
Maryland Air National Guard 1st Lt. Joshua K. Sproles received the Major General Eugene A. Lupia Award for top ANG civil engineer company grade officer.
“This recognition is a testament to the collaborative spirit of the 175th Civil Engineer Squadron, a close-knit family and team,” said Sproles, a member of the 175th CES. “It motivates me to continue striving for excellence within the Air Force Civil Engineer community.”
Maryland Air National Guard Senior Master Sgt. Edmund Schwartz was named the Outstanding Military Fire Officer of the Year and Senior Airman Eric Helmenstine was also recognized as the Outstanding Military Firefighter of the Year.
“It is great to see our members get recognized for the hard work that they do, especially national recognition within the Civil Engineer community,” said Maryland Air National Guard Maj. John Fink, 175th CES commander. “It has been a very busy year with members returning from a deployment, two full-scale readiness exercises, two major troop construction projects, and ongoing readiness training.”
In addition to the winners in their respective categories, the 175th CES also had runner ups in multiple categories.
Master Sgt. Jason Letts for the Chief Master Sergeant Larry R. Daniels Award, Senior Airman Dwight Stapleton for Major General Eugene A. Lupia Award (Airman category), Staff Sgt. Jesse Koch for the Major General Eugene A. Lupia Award (non-commissioned officer category), Maj. Brian Vickers for the Major General L. Dean Fox Award, and Assistant Chief James Bridgers for the Outstanding Civilian Fire Officer of the Year.
“Our airmen continue to excel in a high tempo environment, and I couldn’t be prouder of them and their dedication to the mission,” said Fink.
