LANSDOWNE, Va. - One of the largest Airmen recognition endeavors in Air National Guard history was announced here Thursday by the Air Guard's senior enlisted member.
Chief Master Sgt. Richard Smith, command chief of the Air Guard, said the Air Guard's Hometown Heroes Salute Campaignwill soon honor what could be more than 70,000 Citizen-Airmen who have deployed in contingencies since 9/11.
The announcement was made to the Guard's adjutants general, Air Guard commanders and command chief master sergeants at a senior leadership conference outside Washington.
"We have not properly recognized our Airmen," Smith told them. He asked for their support with the program and explained that local units have done a great job of recognizing groups, but that some individual deployments have been shorted proper recognition.
The Air National Guard will soon launch the National Guard Bureau-funded campaign nationwide in cooperation with the states. It will recognize those eligible Airmen who deployed for more than 30 consecutive days for Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, Hurricane Katrina and "all other contingency operations."
In 2009, Smith said the campaign will first recognize every eligible Airman since 9/11. They should receive a cherry wood encased letter of appreciation signed by former Air Guard Director, Gen. Craig. R. McKinley, now chief of the National Guard Bureau, and Smith, enclosed with a commemorative coin.
"The first year we want to hit the masses. We want to go back and fix what was not there," said Smith.
A complete, three-tiered recognition system will start in 2010 that, in addition to the above signed by the current Air Guard director and command chief, will award a framed American flag with inset coins for succeeding deployments of 180-365 consecutive days, and an eagle statuette for deployments more than 366 consecutive days.
Although Airmen can earn all three awards, they cannot receive an award more than once.
"It's also thanks families, communities and employers," said Chief Master Sgt. Christopher Muncy, Ohio's command chief, who helped Smith explain the program to conferees.
He said spouses will also receive a "Hometown Heroes Salute"-engraved pen and pencil set, and their children will receive a set of personalized dog tags. Airmen can also decide on a "center of influence" in their community and present that person or organization with a special medallion of appreciation.
Muncy pointed out that the coin designs were developed by enlisted Airmen in the field.
"The bottom line is that it's the right thing to do for our Airmen," Muncy said.
Current plans are to launch the program in January with policy letters sent to the Air Guard's command chiefs.
Hometown Heroes Salute program manager, Linda Mauro Brooks, said a Web-based ordering system and an information site will be online soon.
Smith, who will soon retire after serving 37 years in the Air Guard, with the last four years as command chief, said he could not think of a better program to help introduce during his final days in Washington.
"This job is about taking care of Airmen, and that's what makes a command chief successful," he said. "This (program) is just a small token of appreciation to thank our Airmen, their families and communities."