Missouri Airmen receive state's first Hometown Heroes Salute Award

By: Lindsey M. Frazier
Missouri National Guard Public Affairs

Eleven Airmen from Missouri Air National Guard Headquarters received the state's first Hometown Heroes Salute Award.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Members of the Air National Guard were recognized Saturday for their selfless service at the first Hometown Heroes Salute Awards Ceremony held in Missouri at the Ike Skelton Training Site.

The ceremony recognized 11 Airmen and their Family members of Headquarters, Missouri Air National Guard. These Airmen received the honor for deploying for more than 30 consecutive days in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and Noble Eagle, as well as other peacekeeping operations across the world since Sept. 11, 2001. The ceremony was the first of its kind for the Air National Guard, said adjutant general Brig. Gen. Stephen Danner.

"This is an auspicious occasion," Danner said. "We've done this many times for our Army National Guardsmen, but this is the first time to recognize our Air Guard personnel."

U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton, U.S. Representative for the 4th District and Chairman of the House Armed Service Committee, addressed the Airmen at the ceremony. Skelton, who has visited Missouri Guardsmen serving overseas, said he has often flown aboard Missouri C-130s from the 139th Airlift Wing and is impressed by their pilots, crews and airplanes.

But when a Guardsman is deployed, it isn't just the Airman or Soldier alone who makes sacrifices. That Guardsman's Family has to sacrifice just as much.

"Most of all, carry back your thanks to your Families," said Skelton. "They are the ones who deserve a pat on the back."

The ceremony was an opportunity for the Airmen to do just that. Spouses received awards to include the rosewood pen and pencil set and children received Hometown Heroes Salute dog tags. Individuals who Airmen chose as their "Center of Influence" during the deployment received a medallion for their support. For Maj. Roy Piatt, Family and service go hand in hand.

"I look at my Family and my daughter, it's very important to her and myself to keep our nation safe and free," said Piatt, who was deployed as a logistics officer in 2007 to Qatar and forward deployed to Balad Air Base, Iraq. "So it's very much country and Family."

The Hometown Heroes recognition program began in August 2008 to celebrate and honor the significant contributions of Airmen, families and communities and those special supporters to the mission of the U.S. Air Force.

"We're all very proud of those who have deployed," said Brig. Gen. John Owen, director of the Missouri National Guard's Joint Staff. "We're proud of those who will step forward and into harm's way to serve."

The Airmen were presented with a letter of appreciation, encased in a rosewood frame, with the Hometown Heroes Salute coins mounted on the frame, personalized with the Airman's name. The letter is signed by Gen. Craig R. McKinley, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, and the Command Chief of the Air National Guard, Chief Master Sgt. Richard A. Smith.

The Hometown Heroes Salute will continue to grow with a three-tiered recognition system where in addition to the signed letter, Air Guard members who have served for 180-365 consecutive days will receive a framed American flag with inset coins and an eagle statuette with inset coins for deployments of more than 365 consecutive days.

The Airmen recognized at Saturday's ceremony were:

Col. Kathleen Hancox, of Jefferson City, Mo.
Col. Christopher Knapp, of Freeburg, Ill.
Lt. Col. Mark Bradley, of Jefferson City
Maj. Roy Piatt, of Shiloh Ill.
2nd Lt. David Shwalb, of Columbia, Mo.
Chief Master Sgt. William Phillips, of Savannah, Mo
Retired Chief Master Sgt. Graham Burnley, of St. Louis
Master Sgt. Steven Cebuhar, of Olean
Master Sgt. Ricci Grabski, of Maryland Heights, Mo.
Staff Sgt. Josh Hapner, of Fulton
Staff Sgt. Robert Taggart, of Jefferson City