2025's Service members and employees of the Year

by Sgt. Elizabeth Buck
69th Public Affairs Detachment

April 9th, 2025

SAN DIEGO – More than 890 service members and their loved ones gathered together for Cal Guard’s Service Member and Employee of the Year banquet on March 29, 2025 in San Diego. The annual banquet honors service members from the Army and Air National Guard as well as the State Guard and civilian employees. 

The evening began with a presentation of the nominees before dinner and the awards presentation. The guest speaker of the event was Cal Guard’s adjutant general, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Matthew P. Beevers. Beevers took on the role of guest speaker after all potential guest speakers turned down the offer.

He delivered a light-hearted speech before the dinner during which he highlighted Cal Guard’s major missions and accomplishments. He gave special recognition to the 224th Sustainment Brigade, now the 40th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade, who are supporting recovery efforts after the Los Angeles wildfires. In January, a series of 14 wildfires affected LA and San Diego counties. The two largest wildfires, the Pacific Palisades and Eaton fires, respectively, were two of the most destructive fires in California's history.

Beevers also emphasized the sacrifice and support of Soldiers’ family members while they are deployed.

“You’re the backbone of the organization whether you know it or not,” said Beevers.

In January, more than 2,500 California National Guard Soldiers and Airmen were activated to support wildfire response efforts. Soldiers augmented military police forces by guarding traffic control points near the areas of the Eaton and Palisades fires. Meanwhile, Airmen with the 146th Airlift Wing flew C-130 Hercules aircraft equipped with the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS). MAFFS can drop 3,200 gallons of water or fire retardant within seconds.

Another key mission from the past year was the Air Guard's Reaper Smoke Exercise. Hosted by the 163rd Attack Wing, Reaper Smoke gathered more than 200 service members across the Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard in Southern California to train in operational tactics and techniques for the MQ-9 drone.

The California National Guard's Counterdrug Task Force, which includes members of the Army, Air, and State Guard, seized over 5,000 pounds of fentanyl powder and 9.6 million fentanyl pills between January and October 2024.

Beevers continued his theme of honoring the people behind the scenes by interrupting the reading of civilian employee nominees to ensure the audience gives them their due. 

“Without them, we accomplish nothing,” said Beevers.

The civilian winners were awarded plaques and acrylic awards while the Army Guard Best Warrior winners were awarded a minute man trophy. The Best Warrior winners will go on to represent California in the Region 7 competition later this year where they will compete against Soldiers from Guam, Hawaii, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada in warrior tasks. Winners of the Region 7 competition will advance to the National competition.

Winners:

Air Outstanding Service Member- Staff Sgt. Taylor Nelson

Best Warrior Junior enlisted- Spc. Dziannis Yafremenka

Air Guard NCO- Staff Sgt. Jessica Reeves

Best Warrior NCO- Sgt. Jose Garcia

Air Guard senior NCO- Master Sgt. Michelle Carrasco

Air Guard 1st Sgt.- Master Sgt. Michael Camarillo

CSG SM of the year- Petty Officer 3rd Class Jacob Gutierrez

CSG NCO- Sgt. Cyndie Cervantes

Civilian Employee of the year:

Supervisor category- Mrs. Jennifer Lucero

Non-supervisor category- Mr. Christopher Morgan