Peter Ching, a retired 169th Air Defense Squadron member provided the background information about the photograph and its significance. Thanks Peter!
Members of the then 169th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (169 ACWS) participated in the 1996 Top Scope competition at Tyndell AFB, Florida. The competition featured the best weapons controllers from Western Air Defense Sector, Eastern Air Defense Sector, Hawaii Region Operations Control Center, Alaskan NORAD Region, and the Canadian NORAD Region.
In the photograph from the left are: Col Peter “Skipper” Pawling, then the 154th Operations Group commander, Capts Kevin Abe and Peter Ching, SSgt Obed Sniffen, Capt Jeffrey Waechter, SMSgt Deo Agbayani, SSgt Sel Valenciano, and Lt Col Jerry “JB” Bona, the squadron commander.
SSgt Sniffen won the Top Tracker individual competition and holds the plaque in the photograph.
The Top Scope competition ran for many years but unfortunately ended in 1998 due to budget restraints.
Update: MSgts Agbayani and Valenciano continue their service with the renamed 169th Air Defense Squadron (169 ADS). Lt Col Waechter has worked at the National Guard Bureau in Washington, DC for many years. The other members in the photograph are retired.
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