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State of Hawaiʻi Department of Defense Personnel Awards

January 29, 2026
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DOD History

Hawai‘i Department of Defense Incentive Service Awards winners attend Governor’s Award Ceremony

The Hawai‘i Department of Defense Incentive Service Awards winners attended the Governor’s Award Ceremony at the Hawai‘i State Capitol Auditorium on Sept. 22, 2025. Recognized at the event were Ramon Ramiro, Electrician I, 154th CES (Adjutant General’s Award), Ronald Santos, Building Maintenance Worker II, Engineering Office (Manager of the Year) and the HIANG 154th CES Maintenance Staff represented by Shane Harrell (Team of the Year). At top, HIANG 154th CES Maintenance member Keola Adaro, Ramon Ramiro, Shane Harrell, Hawai‘i Deputy Adjutant General Brig. Gen. Phillip L. Mallory, HIANG 154th CES Maintenance supervisor Geronimo Angeles and Ronald Santos attended the ceremony. 

Photos by Nicole Sugai

2025 pūpūkahi | Volume 55 | No. 5 pp. 2

Departmental personnel awards

  • Adjutant General’s Award: Bang Nguyen, Janitor II, Engineering Office
  • Manager of the Year: Debra Harada, Administrative Officer V, Environmental Office
  • Team of the Year: DOD ASO Fiscal Team
2024 Annual Report pp. 56

Departmental Personnel Awards

  • Adjutant General’s Award: Marlene Salmo, Repair and Maintenance Assistant, Facilities Management Office, Hawai‘i Army National Guard
  • Manager of the Year: Michael “John” Condello, Veteran Services Coordinator, Office of Veterans Services
  • Team of the Year: DOD State Active Duty Team
2020 Annual Report pp. 23

Departmental Personnel Awards

  • Employee of the Year: Deann Ferreira, Office of Veteran Services Cemetery Operations Assistant
  • Manager of the Year: Dennis Agbisit, Hawai‘i Youth Challenge Academy Administrative Logistics Coordinator
  • Team of the Year: Environmental Office, Hawai‘i Army National Guard
2019 Annual Report pp. 37

Hawaii DOD recognizes its top performers

Hawaii Adjutant General Arthur “Joe” Logan attended and presented at the State of Hawaii, Department of Defense’s Retirement and Award Ceremony on Friday, April 7, 2017.

Congratulations to all award winners and to those individuals who have retired this past year. Mahalo for your service to HIDOD!

2017 Spring Pupukahi pp. 2

Departmental personnel awards

Employee of the Year: Cathy A. Inouye, Hawaii Army National Guard secretary

Manager of the Year: Lloyd Maki, assistant chief engineering officer

Team of the Year: Disaster Assistance and Recovery Center (DARC) Tropical Storm Iselle , Hawaii Emergency Management Agency; team members are Arlina Agbayani, Bart Asato, Jennifer A. Chiavone, Chad Crosier, Julie Greenly, Robin Liu, Jack Y. Machida, Brian Miyamoto, Brandee Nishimura, Marc Nonaka, Kevin J. Richards, and Eric K. Shimabuku.

2015 Annual Report pp. 35

Departmental personnel awards

Employee of the Year: Nancy Saito, Administrative Services Office

Manager of the Year: Col. Reynold T. Hioki, chief information Officer

Team of the Year: Community Resilience Outreach and Education Team, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency; team members are Kevin Richards, Shelly Kunishige, Marsha Tamura, Brian Miyamoto, Steven Yoshimura, Danny Tengan, Brandee Nishimura, Jennifer Howlett, Meischa Jackson, Steven Sigler.

2014 Annual Report pp. 35

The 2011 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Manager of the Year was Dawn E.M. Johnson, State Civil Defense State hazard mitigation officer. The Distinguished State Service award was earned by Thomas C. Simon, State Civil Defense DEPA systems engineer

2011 Annual Report pp. 31

The 2010 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Manager of the Year was George F. Burnett, State Civil Defense telecommunications branch chief. The Distinguished State Service award was earned by Kevin J. Richards, State Civil Defense earthquake planner.

2010 Annual Report pp. 33

The 2009 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Manager of the Year was Suzanne K. Toguchi, State Civil Defense disaster assistance branch chief. The Distinguished State Service award was earned by Debra S. Harada, State Civil Defense administrative officer.

2009 Annual Report pp. 33

The 2008 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Manager of the Year was Delores “Dee” M. Cook, a civil defense terrorism planner. The Distinguished State Service award was earned by Anson M. Kimura, an emergency preparedness and response planner for State Civil Defense.

2008 Annual Report pp. 31

The 2007 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service was Glen Badua, a grants coordinator for State Civil Defense.

2007 Annual Report pp. 31

The 2006 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service was Danny S. Tengan, a hurricane preparedness planner for State Civil Defense.

2006 Annual Report pp. 31

The 2004 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service is Dolores M. Cook. Anti-Terrorism Planner of State Civil Defense.

2004 Annual Report pp. 30

The 2003 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for
Distinguished State Service is Brian S. Yanagi, civil defense

2003 Annual Report pp. 30

The 2002 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service is Gail C. Sur, an account clerk in the Administrative Services Office. DOD’s and Govenor’s Manager of the Year is Maj. Charles J. Anthony, military public affairs and education officer.

2002 Annual Report pp. 27

The 2001 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service is Wendy Uchima, a clerk typist in the Administrative Services Office.

2001 Annual Report pp. 31

The 2000 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service was Jacob J.Y. Yi, Accountant IV in the Administrative Services Office, Fiscal section. Nominated from the department for the Governor’s Team of the Year Award were members of the Army Engineering Environmental Office.

2000 Annual Report pp. 31

The 1999 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service was Larry M. Kanda, state hazard mitigation officer in the Civil Defense Division. Nominated for the Governor’s Team of the Year Award were members of the State Civil Defense Emergency Satellite Fielding Team.

1999 Annual Report pp. 36

The 1998 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service was Wallace M. Mitsui, lead counselor, at the Hawaii National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program.

1998 Annual Report pp. 35

The 1997 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service was Clarice J. Chung, Clerk Typist III, in the Army National Guard Environmental Section of the Engineering Office. Nominated from the department for the Governor’s Team of the Year Award were the members of Teams A and B of the State Civil Defense Division.

1997 Annual Report pp. 34

The 1996 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service was James Y. Tua, director of the Youth Challenge Program. The department’s nominee for the State Manager of the Year Award was Lt Col Edwin R Miyahira, Military Staff Officer, Operations and Training, in the Air National Guard Division.

1996 Annual Report pp. 29

The 1995 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service was Stuart J. Tomasa, data processing systems analyst in the Civil Defense Division.

1995 Annual Report pp. 30

The 1994 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service was James Y. Toyama, Military Organizational Effectiveness Analyst in the Administrative Services Office. The departmental nominee for the state Manager of the Year Award for 1994 was Lt. Col. Jerry M. Matsuda, Contracting and Engineering Officer in the Engineering Office.

1994 Annual Report pp. 29

The 1993 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service was Roy S. Iwamoto, contracts assistant with the Engineering and Facilities Management Office. The departmental nominee for the state Manager of the Year Award for 1993 was Maj. Wayne N. Yoshioka, military public affairs and education officer with the Public Affairs Office.

1993 Annual Report pp. 27

The 1992 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service is Mr. William F. Norris, assistant civil defense planner for the State Civil Defense Division.

1992 Annual Report pp. 23

The 1991 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service is Mrs. Dorothy Rodrigues, a clerk-typist with the Hawaii Army National Guard on the island of Maui.

1991 Annual Report pp. 22

The 1990 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service was Mr. Alan Uyeda, the administrative officer with the State Civil Defense Division.

1990 Annual Report pp. 22

The 1989 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service was Mr. Norman Ogasawara, Radio Technician I, with the State Civil Defense Division.

1989 Annual Report pp. 24

The 1988 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service was Mr. Glenn T. Soma, Civil Defense Training Specialist with the State Civil Defense Division.

1988 Annual Report pp. 18

The 1987 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service was Mr. Richard Sakuma, Radiological Electronics Technician with the State Civil Defense Division.

1987 Annual Report pp. 18

The 1986 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service was Ms. Cris Moku, clerk-typist with the Hawaii Army National Guard, G-3 Branch.

1986 Annual Report pp. 22

The 1985 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service was Mr. Morio Takahashi, fiscal officer for the department.

1985 Annual Report pp. 23

1984 Recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service is Mr. Thomas O. Batey, the Civil Defense Plans and Operations Officer for the Civil Defense Division.

1984 Annual Report pp. 23

The 1983 recipient of the Adjutant General’s Award for Distinguished State Service was Mrs. Emmaline M. English, an Office Manager II on the island of Kauai

1983 Annual Report pp. 23

Mr. Frank T. S. Kim, Civil Defense Division, received the 1982 Adjutant General’s Award. As the recipient of this award, Mr. Kim was the department’s nominee for the Governor’s Award for Distinguished State Service.

1982 Annual Report pp. 21

Additionally, Sanae Fujimoto was the winner of the Adjutant General’s Award for her outstanding contributions to
State Civil Defense and was also the nominee for the Governor’s Award for Distinguished State Service

1978 Annual Report pp. 20

Robert F. Sorg was the winner of the coveted Adjutant General ‘s Award for his out standing contributions to the Civil Defense division, and also was the nominee for the Governor’s Award for Distinguished State Service.

1977 Annual Report pp. 33

Mr. Yutaka Takemoto earned the FY 76 Adjutant General’s Award for his outstanding contribution to the Engineering and Facilities Maintenance Services Office

1976 Annual Report pp. 32

The Adjutant General’s Award for FY 75 was presented to Mr. Henry T. Gushikuma of the Civil Defense Division for his outstanding work in the field of communications

1975 Annual Report pp. 32

The Adjutant General’s Award for FY 74 was presented to Mrs. Annelinda Y.S. Mellon for her contribution to improving government operation and serving the public interest.

1974 Annual Report pp. 30