Two Eastern Air Defense Sector Airmen are New York Air National Guard Award Winners

Central New York Airmen Recognized for Excellence

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Master Sgt. Amy Taylor

ROME, N.Y. (02/06/2015)(readMedia)-- Two Eastern Air Defense Sector Airmen recently received state awards from the New York Air National Guard.

Master Sgt. Amy Taylor of Rome was selected as the Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year and Staff Sgt. Richard Burns of Tonawanda was the Honor Guard Manager of the Year. Taylor, originally from Shawano, Wisconsin, was also recently named EADS SNCO of the Year.

Taylor and Burns were selected for the state-level award based on superior leadership, job performance, community involvement and personal achievements.

Taylor was recognized for her superb management of 14 computer maintenance personnel and conducted a rigorous cyber evaluation, ensuring EADS operated in compliance with Air Force guidance. Also oversaw the unit's transition from personal data assistants to I-phones. Taylor was recently elected President of the Top 3, a leadership group composed of the unit's Senior Noncommissioned Officers.

Burns dedicated hundreds of hours of personal time to planning, scheduling and training EADS Honor Guard. He personally participated in 38 details, including more than 20 funerals, and planned an additional 58 events. An effective recruiter and trainer, Burns increased the number of qualified Honor Guard personnel to 30.

Taylor and Burns will go on to compete for the 2015 Air National Guard Outstanding Airmen of the Year.

The other four state-wide winners were:

• Senior Airman James Comstock, 109th Airlift Wing, Scotia, Airman of the Year.

• Master Sgt. Michael Lazzari, 109th Airlift Wing, Scotia, First Sergeant of the Year.

• Staff Sgt. Douglas Kechijian, 106th Rescue Wing, Westhampton Beach, Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.

• Master Sgt. Eric Lent, 174th Attack Wing, Syracuse, Honor Guard Member of the Year.

The Eastern Air Defense Sector is located at Griffiss Business and Technology Park in Rome. A headquarters element of the U.S. Continental North American Aerospace Defense Command Region (CONR), EADS is responsible for the air defense of the eastern United States. Staffed by active-duty New York Air National Guardsmen, a Canadian Forces detachment, joint service liaison officers and a civilian support staff, EADS directs a variety of assets to defend more than one million square miles of airspace east of the Mississippi River.