Service Members of the Year honored in Anaheim

Annual event returns following pandemic hiatus

Airman walks red carpet with woman in blue dress.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Zechary Blackburn, a shift supervisor with Cal Guard's 144th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 144th Fighter Wing, walks the red carpet, Jan. 21, as a nominee for California Air National Guard Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, during Cal Guard's Service Member of the Year banquet in Anaheim. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Crystal Housman)

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Zechary Blackburn, a shift supervisor with Cal Guard's 144th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 144th Fighter Wing, walks the red carpet, Jan. 21, as a nominee for California Air National Guard Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, during Cal Guard's Service Member of the Year banquet in Anaheim. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Crystal Housman)

by Staff Sgt. Crystal Housman
California National Guard Public Affairs

Jan. 26, 2023

ANAHEIM, Calif. – California Military Department Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, civilians, and family members gathered en masse Saturday, Jan. 21, in Anaheim, to recognize their own and laud the highest performers of the department's state and federal components during its formerly-annual Service Member of the Year Banquet.

Hundreds of military personnel at banquet tables.

Hundreds of Cal Guard service members and their families attended the Service Member of the Year awards banquet, Jan. 21, in Anaheim. It was Cal Guard's first awards banquet since 2020. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Crystal Housman)

Hundreds of Cal Guard service members and their families attended the Service Member of the Year awards banquet, Jan. 21, in Anaheim. It was Cal Guard's first awards banquet since 2020. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Crystal Housman)

It was the first en masse gathering for the Cal Guard since the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the globe a few weeks after Cal Guard's 2020 iteration of the banquet. No banquet was planned in 2021 as the pandemic stretched into its second year, and a 2022 banquet was planned but shuttered once the virus's Omicron variant surged after the holidays.

General presents statuette.

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Matthew Beevers, Cal Guard's acting adjutant general, right, presents an appreciation trophy to keynote speaker, Sen. Richard Roth. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Christian Jadot)

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Matthew Beevers, Cal Guard's acting adjutant general, right, presents an appreciation trophy to keynote speaker, Sen. Richard Roth. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Christian Jadot)

"Everybody looks great in their uniforms," U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Matthew Beevers, Cal Guard's acting adjutant general, told the crowd of about 800 people.

"I've got to tell you, after two years of COVID, I was pretty nervous when I put this thing on tonight. I'm not going to lie," he said with a chuckle while referring to his mess dress uniform, which was largely unneeded once the world's social scene gave way to social distancing.

Beevers then introduced one of the night's two keynote speakers, Sen. Richard Roth, a retired U.S. Air Force major general who now represents the California state senate’s 31st senate district in Southern California's Inland Empire area.

Man in tuxedo speaks at podium.

State Senator Richard Roth, who represents California's 31st senate district, offers a keynote address. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Crystal Housman)

State Senator Richard Roth, who represents California's 31st senate district, offers a keynote address. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Crystal Housman)

"It’s truly an honor to be here to recognize your service and the sacrifices you make for all of the rest of us, all of the time," Roth said.

"Despite challenge after challenge and crisis after crisis the past few years, including some very, very recently, your performance has been simply extraordinary," he continued. "That should not be a surprise to anyone given who you are and where you come from."

“Despite challenge after challenge and crisis after crisis the past few years, including some very, very recently, your performance has been simply extraordinary.”
– Sen. Richard Roth

Roth touted the Guard's earliest beginnings in Concord, Massachusetts, and its involvement in all of the nation’s conflicts since then, including a special notation of the 40th Infantry Division's front-line service in Korea.

"Our nation and this state haven’t stopped relying on the Guard and each and every one of you to safeguard lives and property in our communities stateside and to ensure freedom around the world," Roth said.

"From Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo and to Iraq and Afghanistan, from Homeland Defense to counter drug, counter terrorism, cyber security, from feeding the needy and providing medical support during this most recent COVID pandemic, to conducting search and rescue operations, most recently, and battling wildfires around this state, you do just that, every single day," he said.

After Roth's remarks, Cal Guard's Command Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Adjutant General, Chief Master Sgt. Lynn Williams, introduced longtime friend and mentor, SEA Tony L. Whitehead, senior enlisted advisor to the chief of the National Guard Bureau.

Man in Air Force dress uniform at podium.

SEA Tony L. Whitehead, senior enlisted advisor to the chief of the National Guard Bureau, speaks to a crowd of about 800. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Crystal Housman)

SEA Tony L. Whitehead, senior enlisted advisor to the chief of the National Guard Bureau, speaks to a crowd of about 800. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Crystal Housman)

Whitehead spoke about the nominees, noting their biographies in the event program and calling them all "rock stars."

"If you are in a sea of rock stars and you can emerge as a winner, you are outstanding," Whitehead said.

“If you are in a sea of rock stars and you can emerge as a winner, you are outstanding.”
– SEA Tony Whitehead

Whitehead, the National Guard Bureau's senior enlisted service member, then read the Soldier's Creed, suggesting it needs another stanza.

"There’s one thing that needs to be added to that," Whitehead said. "I am a proud citizen of the community I represent that makes up the great state of California."

"That is you," he told the crowd. "Wildfires, flooding, rescues, not only here but across the state, across the nation."

Citizen Soldiers and Citizen Airmen do phenomenal work across this nation," Whitehead said. "They have careers, they have families, they have community commitments, but they find a way to give their absolute best."

Whitehead emphasized the Guard's roots in local communities.

"They go off and do their absolute best because they know they're coming back. They're not worried about coming back to a cheer or hurrah," he said. "They just want to come back to home."

Soldier holds large bronze-colored trophy.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Eliodoro Carranza, center, who serves as military police in the 270th Military Police Company, 49th Military Police Brigade, is presented the California Army National Guard's Noncommissioned Officer of the Year trophy by Maj. Gen. Matthew Beevers, right, acting adjutant general, and Chief Master Sgt. Lynn Williams, left, senior enlisted advisor to the adjutant general. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Crystal Housman)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Eliodoro Carranza, center, who serves as military police in the 270th Military Police Company, 49th Military Police Brigade, is presented the California Army National Guard's Noncommissioned Officer of the Year trophy by Maj. Gen. Matthew Beevers, right, acting adjutant general, and Chief Master Sgt. Lynn Williams, left, senior enlisted advisor to the adjutant general. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Crystal Housman)

Following keynote presentations and dinner, each component's service members of the year winners was announced.The California Army National Guard recognized Spc. Alejandro Mendoza, a cannon crew member with Alpha Battery, 1-144th Field Artillery, 100th Troop Command, as its Soldier of the Year.

Staff Sgt. Eliodoro Carranza, who serves as military police in the 270th Military Police Company, 49th Military Police Brigade, earned distinction as the California Army National Guard's Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.

Military officers stand and cheer.

U.S. Air Force Col. Matt Glynn, left, vice wing commander of Cal Guard's 146th Airlift Commander, holds a Hollywood Guard sign as other members of his table cheer for one of the wing's award nominees. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Crystal Housman)

U.S. Air Force Col. Matt Glynn, left, vice wing commander of Cal Guard's 146th Airlift Commander, holds a Hollywood Guard sign as other members of his table cheer for one of the wing's award nominees. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Crystal Housman)

The California Air National Guard recognized four Airmen with state-level honors.

Senior Airman Armand Aranda, an aerospace medical technician in the 129th Medical Group, 129th Rescue Wing, was named Airman of the Year.

Noncommissioned Officer of the Year honors went to Tech. Sgt. Sonja Torres, who serves with the 146th Operations Support Squadron, 146th Airlift Wing.

Master Sgt. Lucy Arellano, a human resources remote designee for the 144th Force Support Squadron within the 144th Fighter Wing, was named Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, and Senior Master Sgt. Patrick O'Hara, with the 129th Mission Support Group, 129th Rescue Wing, earned recognition as First Sergeant of the Year.

Officers applaud two military men.

California State Guard Commanding General, Maj. Gen. Jay Coggan, left, and Command Sgt. Maj. Peterson, right, applaud their component's award winners, Staff Sgts. Octavio Piña, second from left, and Shane San Miguel, second from right, during the awards ceremony. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Crystal Housman)

California State Guard Commanding General, Maj. Gen. Jay Coggan, left, and Command Sgt. Maj. Peterson, right, applaud their component's award winners, Staff Sgts. Octavio Piña, second from left, and Shane San Miguel, second from right, during the awards ceremony. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Crystal Housman)

The California State Guard honored two of its personnel.

Staff Sgt. Shane Miguel, a desktop applications specialist with the 195th Support Group, was named Service Member of the Year while Noncommissioned Officer of the Year honors were bestowed upon Staff Sgt. Octavio Piña, who serves as a platoon sergeant with the 79th Support Detachment.

Airman in dress uniform at podium.

U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Lynn Williams, left, senior enlisted advisor to Cal Guard's adjutant general, offers closing remarks at the end of the Service Member of the Year awards banquet, Jan. 21. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Crystal Housman)

U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Lynn Williams, left, senior enlisted advisor to Cal Guard's adjutant general, offers closing remarks at the end of the Service Member of the Year awards banquet, Jan. 21. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Crystal Housman)

Once the final trophies were presented and medals pinned on award recipients, Williams took the stage to offer closing remarks.

"It's been three challenging years, but we finally pulled it off," he said.

"Our Soldiers and Airmen were relentless, exceptional in their well-doings, committed to selfless service, and oftentimes faced with making daunting sacrifices just to get the job done," Williams said listing a variety of Cal Guard's emergency response and federal missions.

"One may ask, 'how does a part time force do so much damn work?'" he said rhetorically. "It's called honor, commitment, courage, integrity, service before self, and excellence in all they do."

“How does a part time force do so much damn work? It's called honor, commitment, courage, integrity, service before self, and excellence in all they do.”
– Chief Master Sgt. Lynn Williams

Williams highlighted the work and dedication of traditional Guardsmen who balance civilian careers with their military service.

"Thank you for all you do and for what you continue to do," he said.

California Army National Guard honorees, who were selected after winning Cal Guard's annual Best Warrior Competition, will represent California in a regional level Best Warrior Competition in the coming months while California Air National Guard honorees move on to compete against Airmen from other states and territories for National Guard Bureau's Outstanding Airmen of the Year honors.

EDITOR'S NOTE: More photos from the Service Member of the Year banquet are available on Cal Guard's Flickr account. Link opens in new window.