Maryland Air National Guard Recognizes Top Airmen

Story by Master Sgt. Christopher Schepers

MIDDLE RIVER, Md. — The 175th Wing held its annual Airman Recognition Ceremony at Warfield Air National Guard Base at Martin State Airport, January 12, 2025. This ceremony was an opportunity to recognize the accomplishments of airmen from the Maryland Air National Guard – presenting awards to the Outstanding Airmen of the Year, celebrating the Community College of the Air Force graduates, and spotlighting the successes of the wing’s missions throughout the past year.

The official party for the ceremony included Maj. Gen. Janeen Birckhead, the adjutant general of Maryland, Brig. Gen. Drew Dougherty, assistant adjutant general-Air, Col. Richard Hunt, 175th Wing commander, Command Sergeant Major David Harry, command senior enlisted leader of Maryland, Chief Master Sgt. Shane Price, Maryland state command chief, and Chief Master Sgt. James Bottorff, 175th Wing command chief.

“We are so proud of what you’ve done and look forward to recognizing that here and it is an absolute privilege to serve as the commander of this amazing organization,” said Hunt. “I have such a unique opportunity to observe the amazing mission accomplishment, all of the mobilizations, deployments, exercises, and the effects that take place all over the globe that have real impact to our day-to-day lives and I get to witness it every single day.”

More than 20 airmen were nominated for the Outstanding Airman of the Year award within the categories of Airman, non-commissioned officer, senior non-commissioned officer, first sergeant, and company grade officer.

Staff Sgt. Derek Herbert, an avionics integrated systems technician assigned to the 175th Maintenance Squadron, who was named the non-commissioned officer of the year, credited his leadership and their support over the past year.

“This is truly a team-earned award,” said Herbert. “My supervision is supportive of our mission and allow me to do the work that helps support the Maryland Air National Guard. I am proud to be part of this team and winning this award is due to the support and guidance of my leadership.”

The Outstanding Airman of the Year for the company grade officer of the year category, Capt. Alexis Eyo, currently serving as the 275th Operations Support Squadron intelligence officer, expressed excitement and gratitude for being selected, emphasizing the support she has received from her counterparts since joining the Cyberspace Operations Group.

“It was an honor to be nominated and to have the opportunity to share such a big stage with my fellow Airmen,” said Eyo. “I am fairly new to cyber and learning to navigate such a complex and dynamic warfare domain has not been easy but I am fortunate to be surrounded by the best teachers and mentors. I am eternally grateful and very blessed to be a member of the 175th COG and there are so many people in the building who believed in me and this win is just as much theirs as it is mine.”

The ceremony also highlighted 15 additional airmen who earned their Community College of the Air Force diplomas during the past year. This federal program, offered through the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force, awards a two-year Associate of Applied Science degree to airmen and Guardians who complete curriculum requirements in partnership with Air University.

Additionally, Maryland Air National Guard Capt. Kerry Guy, 175th Wing base contracting officer, was recognized for being named the General Larry O. Spencer Innovation Award winner for his dedication to the modernization and innovation of wing programs by securing $1.6 million to help turn Airmen’s ideas into operational capabilities. The 235th Civil Engineer Flight was also recognized as the 2024 Maryland National Guard Outstanding Unit of the Year by the Military Officers Association of Maryland. The 235th CEF has demonstrated outstanding professional excellence in leading and coordinating multiple successful U.S. and NATO infrastructure projects for both exercise and future strategic requirements.

All of the Outstanding Airman of the Year nominees earned the right to wear the Maryland National Guard Soldier/Airman of the Year ribbon. The winners’ award packages will advance to the Air National Guard’s Airman of the Year contest. The following are the winners in their respective categories:

Outstanding Airman of the Year
A1C Brandon Diefenbach
175th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron

Outstanding Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
Staff Sgt. Derek Herbert
175th Maintenance Squadron

Outstanding Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
Master Sgt. Benjamin Koloff
175th Cyberspace Operations Squadron

Outstanding First Sergeant of the Year
Master Sgt. Robin Primmer
175th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron

Outstanding Company Grade Officer
Capt. Alexis Eyo
275th Operations Support Squadron