Springfield cleans up at Ohio ANG State Award Banquet Published June 3, 2009 By Capt. Lindsay Logsdon 178 FW Public Affairs SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- Col. Mike Roberts, the commander of the 178th Fighter Wing, hosted the 2009 Ohio Air National Guard Awards Banquet held May 14 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Nearly 160 attendees from across the state were in attendance including Maj. Gen. Gregory Wayt, the Adjutant General for Ohio, and Maj. Gen. Harry "A. J." Feucht Jr., the Assistant Adjutant General for Air. Master Sgt. Chad Bacon, a member of the 178th Security Forces Squadron, was awarded "First Sergeant of the Year." Also in the annual individual awards category, Capt. Steven Dudash of the 251st Combat Communications Group was awarded "Company Grade Officer of the Year." Captain Dudash is a communications-computer systems engineer with 251 CCG. The 178th Fighter Wing and its tenant and geographically separated units were presented five of the nine group awards. The "Medical Hippocrates Award" for the outstanding medical group in the Ohio ANG was awarded to the 178th Medical Group. Evaluation criteria includes: achievements of significance to military profession, wing, community, state and nation. The award was accepted by Col. Bill Sneeder, the 178 MDG commander. The 123rd Air Control Squadron, in Blue Ash, Ohio, accepted the "Individual Readiness Award" for a GSU. To receive this award the unit must pass before an evaluation board of officers appointed by the chief of staff of Ohio Air National Guard state headquarters. Units are reviewed on their: bench strength and depth; diversity; career development and progression; physical readiness and individual performance improvement; and development. 1st Lt. Tim Anglin accepted the award on behalf of Lt. Col. Gene Hughes, the commander of the 123 ACS. The "Mission Readiness Award" is also given to both a wing and GSU in the Ohio ANG and is evaluated by a board of officers appointed by the chief of staff. Units are evaluated on their: effective staffing, individual readiness, war readiness training effectiveness and mission capable index. The 251 CCG and 269th Combat Communications Squadron won the "Mission Readiness Award" for a GSU. Maj. Allan Revels accepted the award on behalf of Col. Norm Polklar, the 251 CCG commander, and Lt. Col. Garland Robertson, the commander of the 269 CCS, accepted for the squadron. For the "Wing Mission Readiness Award," Colonel Roberts accepted for the 178 FW. The 178th Fighter Wing also took home the "Flight Safety Award." The winner of this award is chosen from among the four flying units in the Ohio ANG by an evaluation board of officers appointed by the chief of staff. The winner is the unit receiving the greatest number of points in the evaluations process. The evaluations encompass: training, plans, self-assessments, emergency response, maintenance activities, flight management, accident information and unit initiatives. Points for initiatives developed at the unit are based upon performance in one or more of the following areas: mission, personnel safety, environmental safety and public image and improvement. The final award taken home by the Springfield team was the "Pasquale A. Gicale Award." Only the seven non-flying units in the Ohio ANG are eligible for this award which is named for Col. Pasquale A. Gicale, the former commander of the 251 CCG. Selection is by a board of officers appointed by the chief of staff. Areas of evaluation are: authorized versus actual manning strength, retention rate, minority participation, fitness testing, on-the-job training effectiveness and professional military education. Units are judged also on its top three achievements in mission accomplishments, internal or quality improvements and community service actions. "These awards are a direct reflection of the outstanding efforts of the entire wing," said Colonel Roberts. "Our focus is and always will be on doing the best we can in accomplishing the mission."