1st SOW announces leadership award winners

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Angela Shepherd
  • 1st SOW Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  Every year, the Air Force recognizes officer and enlisted leaders with the Lance P. Sijan leadership award. Before the Air Force decides who receives the awards, the competition starts at the base level. The 1st Special Operations Wing recently announced the four Airmen who won at wing level and will move on to compete at major command level.

Those winners are: Senior officer, Lt. Col. Rene Leon, 1st Special Operations Maintenance Group; Junior officer, 1st Lt. Anthony LaMagna, 1st Special Operations Mission Support Group; Senior enlisted, Master Sgt. Timothy Gibson, 1st Special Operations Group; and Junior enlisted, Tech. Sgt. Bryan Bissonnette, 1st SOG.

"It is truly a great honor just to be considered for this award. I have been blessed to have great supervisors and subordinates both here and during my deployment," Sergeant Gibson said. "That coupled with my family's outstanding support is what has allowed me to accomplish the things I have."

The Sijan Award recognizes the accomplishments of officers and enlisted members who have demonstrated the highest qualities of leadership in the performance of their duties and the conduct of their lives.

"I've had the pleasure of working and learning alongside some of the finest Air Force personnel, and it has been my honor to be given the opportunity to be a leader among leaders at all levels," Lieutenant LaMagna said. "My job has been both rewarding and challenging, and the people have always made the difference. Being honored by this award is a tribute to the teams I've been lucky enough to be a part of and the successes we've basked in and learned from."

The four winners faced stiff competition. Colonel Leon was selected as the top leader of the 284 senior officers in the 1st SOW. Lieutenant LaMagna was the top of 642 junior officers, while Sergeant Gibson was the top of 569 senior enlisted members. Sergeant Bissonnette stood out as the top leader among the 4,703 junior enlisted members in the wing.

"I'm definitely humbled," Colonel Leon said. "The Air Commandos I've had the privilege to work with this past year, at all levels, have been superb. I'm glad to be a part of this team."

The Sijan award was first given in 1981. It was named in honor of the first U.S. Air Force Academy graduate to receive the Medal of Honor. Captain Sijan was shot down over Vietnam on Nov. 9, 1967, and evaded capture for 45 days despite severe injuries. After being captured, he overpowered a guard and crawled into the jungle, but was recaptured. He later died while in a Vietnamese prisoner-of-war camp. He was presented the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroism.

"I am extremely proud of these four Airmen," said Col. Brad Webb, 1st SOW commander. "They embody the Air Commando culture and the Air Force commitment to excellence. I'm honored to have them on our team."