Skip to Main Content

Hawaii Air National Guard Holds “Launa ‘Ole” Awards Ceremony

April 8, 2014
Categories: 
In The News
D3B_0289

Honolulu, Hawaii – The Hawaii Air National Guard (HIANG) today held its annual “Launa ʻOle” awards ceremony for outstanding achievement over the past year.  Launa ‘Ole means “beyond comparison” or “without peer.”  Airman nominated for the Hawaii Air National Guard “Launa’Ole” award are judged in the following categories, (1) Outstanding Airman of the Year (Traditional & Full-time) (2) Outstanding Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year (Traditional & Full-time).  (3) Outstanding Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year (Traditional & Full-time) (4) Outstanding Company Grade Officer of the Year (Traditional & Full-time) (5) Outstanding Field Grade Officer of the Year (Traditional & Full-time).

The outstanding performers are (full-time winners are named first, followed respectively, by the traditional winner in each category):

OUTSTANDING AIRMAN OF THE YEAR

  • SrA Edward Siaosi, 154th Operations Support Squadron
  • SrA Ken Hayashi, 201st Intelligence Squadron

OUTSTANDING NON-COMMISIONED OFFICER OF THE YEAR

  • TSgt Melissa York, 109th Air Operations Group
  • TSgt Shane Gloor, 154th Security Forces Squadron

OUTSTANDING SENIOR NON-COMMISIONED OFFICER OF THE YEAR

  • MSgt Fred Gebauer, 109th Air Operations Group
  • MSgt Nicholas Marzan, 154th Security Forces Squadron

 OUTSTANDING FIRST SERGEANT OF THE YEAR

  • MSgt John Kim, 109th Air Operations Group

 OUTSTANDING COMPANY GRADE OFFICER OF THE YEAR

  • Capt Nicole Vazquez, 109th Air Operations Group
  • 1Lt Jonathan Laurion, 201st Intelligence Squadron

OUTSTANDING FIELD GRADE OFFICER OF THE YEAR

  • Maj Matthew Masuyama, 154th Force Support Squadron
  • Maj Francis Shen, 109th Air Operations Group

The Hawaii Air National Guard has nearly 2,500 airmen, most of whom are ‘traditional’ meaning they have civilian careers in addition to their status as Guardsmen.  A traditional Guardsman will usually perform drills one weekend per month and 15 days of active duty training per year.  The HIANG has two major units: the 154th Wing and the 109th Air Operations Group.   The 154th Wing flies and maintains F-22, KC-135 and C-17 aircraft in partnership with the active duty Air Force’s 15th Wing at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.