Staff Sgt. Sihoon Chung, a Ridgefield Resident, is New York Army National Guard Top Sergeant of the Year

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Staff Sgt. Sihoon Chung, New York Army National Guard NonCommissioned Officer of the Year for 2012

LATHAM, NY (03/27/2012)(readMedia)-- New York Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Sihoon Chung, a resident of Ridgefield, N.J. and a Leonia, N.J. Police Officer, has been named the top Non-commissioned Officer of the Year for the 10,500-member New York Army National Guard.

Chung, age 35 and a veteran of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, has been a member of the New York Army National Guard since 2005. He served in the Active Army for four years before joining the National Guard .

He currently serves as an instructor in infantry skills with the 106th Regiment Regional Training Institute based at Camp Smith Training Center in Cortlandt Manor, N.Y. Since joining the unit in late 2005 he has trained and mentored over 300 Soldiers.

Soldiers competing for the New York Army National Guard's Non-commissioned Officer of the Year Award are selected by each brigade command in the organization based on a board held by senior sergeants. The Soldiers then compete against each in the areas of military knowledge and skills. All the contestants are top performers in physical fitness and marksmanship.

The New York winners will  compete against Soldiers from other regional state National Guards. The best National Guard Soldiers then compete against their counterparts in the Active Army and the Army Reserve.

Soldiers also compete to be the best junior enlisted Soldier and the best Active Guard and Reserve (full-time) Soldier in the New York Army National Guard.

"I'm very proud to have won the honor and to represent the 106th RTI ," Chung said. "It was a very good experience and something every NCO should experience. My supervisors suggested that I enter the competition and I'm glad I decided to do it."

"This is a significant achievement for Staff Sgt. Chung, " said New York Army National Guard Command Sgt. Major Frank Wicks. " It is evident that this sergeant  has the drive and determination to do what it takesto succeed. This is a clear indicator of a sergeant's potential.  I am positive that we will see more great accomplishments from him in the future."

Chung served in Iraq  in 2002/03 and in 2004 as a Scout Sniper and then Squad Leader with  82nd Airborne Division, and as an instructor training the Afghan Army in Kabul Afghanistan with the New York Army National Guard's 27th Brigade Combat Team in 2008.

His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Commendation Medal (three awards) the NATO Medal and the New York State Conspicuous Service Cross.

Chung is a graduate of Army Airborne School, Army Airborne Jump Master School, Air Assault Course, The Army Pre-Ranger Basic Instructor Course, the Army Small Group Instructor Course, the Army Primary Leadership Development Course, and Infantry Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course.

Chung is married to Eunkyung Chung . They have two daughters; Emilee, age two and Ella, age seven months.

Chung holds a Bachelors Degree in Political Science from the State University of New York in Stonybrook. He is also a member of the Korean American Law Enforcement Association.