Rome resident is EADS Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year

The Eastern Air Defense Sector and the New York Air National Guard's 224th Air Defense Group has named their annual award winners for 2019.

"EADS' air defense mission requires engaged and consistent excellence from all of our members," said Col. Paul Bishop, 224th Air Defense Group Commander. "This year's winners distinguished themselves by going above and beyond our high standards. I congratulate them on their outstanding accomplishments and thank them for their efforts."

The 224th ADG is composed of the 224th Air Defense Squadron and 224th Support Squadron, located in Rome, and Detachment 1 and Detachment 2 that serve in the Washington, D.C. area. The 224th ADG provides the forces to conduct the Eastern Air Defense Sector's mission. Part of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the Sector is responsible for the air defense of the eastern U.S.

This year, EADS recognized members of it full-time force, Drill Status Guard (DSG) force - traditional National Guardsmen who serve one weekend a month - and federal civilians. Awards were presented in 11 separate categories: full-time and DSG company grade officer (junior officers below the rank of major), senior noncommissioned officer, full-time and DSG noncommissioned officer, junior enlisted airman, honor guard program manager, and civilians in three categories.

The annual awards ceremony was held at the Oneida Community Mansion House in Oneida on Saturday, Jan. 11.

Award recipients included:

Master Sgt. Jason Rutherford, Rome, Outstanding Senior Noncommissioned Officer. The NCOIC of the Communications Focal Point, Rutherford directed more than 300 computer maintenance and radar events for Presidential travel. He also merged nearly 3,000 tasks from 11 different training plans into a single plan, an innovation that was adopted as a template by the other NORAD air defense sectors.