ANG Airmen of the Year honored during Focus on the Force Week Published Aug. 10, 2017 By Staff Sgt. John E. Hillier National Guard Bureau Public Affairs JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. -- The Air National Guard honored its four Outstanding Airmen of the Year during a ceremony held at the ANG Readiness Center on Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, Aug. 10, 2017, as part of Focus on the Force Week. Hosted by Chief Master Sgt. Ronald C. Anderson, command chief master sergeant of the Air National Guard, Focus on the Force Week is a week-long series of events designed to renew Airmen’s commitment to the profession of arms and celebrate the successes of the enlisted corps. “If you ever wonder why we do what we do, if you ever for one moment you get tired and lose focus–it’s these four Airmen,” said Anderson. “They’re the very best of every one of us sitting before me right now. There are days where we slog through our day-to-day business, and it’s days like today; it’s weeks like Focus on the Force that carry me through the rest of the year.” Chief Master Sgt. Ronald C. Anderson, command chief master sergeant of the Air National Guard, speaks with members of the ANG's Enlisted Field Advisory Council at the ANG Readiness Center on Joint Base Andrews, Md., August 9, 2017. The discussion was part of the ANG's Focus on the Force Week, a week-long series of events designed to renew Airmen’s commitment to the profession of arms and celebrate the successes of the enlisted corps. (U.S. Air National Guard photo/Master Sgt. Marvin Preston) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res The honorees met with ANG Director Lt. Gen. L. Scott Rice and Anderson, as well as with the Enlisted Field Advisory Council (EFAC), an advisory panel of command chiefs from across the ANG, to bring the perspective of enlisted Airmen and give voice to the roadblocks they face in accomplishing their missions. They also exchanged ideas with former ANG command chiefs and with attendees of the Chiefs’ Executive Course, an orientation course for newly-promoted chief master sergeants in the Guard. “It is so valuable to recognize our Airmen in this big way,” said retired Chief Master Sgt. Valerie Benton, the eighth ANG command chief. “It sends a huge message to the Airmen back home that leadership here cares. We care they are doing their jobs well, that [they’re] supporting our Guard and our Air Force well. I love that our Airmen are up on a panel this year. Our new chiefs should know we work to serve [Airmen] and make sure they can do what we’ve hired them to do.” While the core of the event is the candid exchange of methods for handling the complex issues facing the Air National Guard and its Airmen, a key highlight is the recognition of the ANG’s Outstanding Airmen of the Year. “It’s an impossible feat to look through the 91,000 enlisted Airmen we work with every day, but with the great folks in the EFAC, we hit a home run,” said Anderson. “We got it right. Thank you to all the wings and states who sent us their best Airmen.” Airmen congratulate The Air National Guard's 2016 Outstanding Airmen of the Year following a recognition ceremony held at the ANG Readiness Center on Joint Base Andrews, Md., August 10, 2017. The honorees, selected from the 90 wings across the ANG are: Staff Sgt. Lacey K. Millier, Florida ANG, Airman of the Year; Tech. Sgt. Jason D. Selberg, Arizona ANG, NCO of the Year; Senior Master Sgt. Thomas DuMont, Missouri ANG, Senior NCO of the Year; and Senior Master Sgt. Jason L. Handa, Arizona ANG, First Sergeant of the Year. (U.S. Air National Guard photo/Staff Sgt. John E. Hillier) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res The honorees, selected from the 90 wings across the Air National Guard, are: Staff Sgt. Lacey K. Miller, Airman of the Year, 125th Fighter Wing, Florida National Guard; Tech. Sgt. Jason D. Selberg, NCO of the Year, 162nd Wing, Arizona Air National Guard; Senior Master Sgt. Thomas J. DuMont, Senior NCO of the Year, 131st Bomb Wing, Missouri Air National Guard; and Senior Master Sgt. Jason L. Handa, First Sergeant of the Year, 162nd Wing, Arizona Air National Guard. Selberg was also selected as one of the U.S. Air Force 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year, and will represent the Air National Guard at the Air Force Association’s annual Air, Space and Cyber Conference scheduled for September in Washington, D.C.