(This week, we'll be posting one feature each day on the 2014 Outstanding Airman of the Year winners who will be honored next week during the Air National Guard's Focus on the Force Week)
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. -- Leaving behind a legacy of service for the
next generation is what drives Master Sgt. Joseph G. Ashwood, the Air National
Guard Outstanding Senior Non-commissioned Officer of the Year.
Master Sgt. Ashwood, assigned to the 147th Reconnaissance Wing at
Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base, Texas was selected for his leadership and
commitment to training his wingmen to accomplish their missions.
Ashwood enlisted in the Air Force as a fuel systems apprentice at the
age of 17, taking up a family tradition of military service. His grandfather
fought in World War II, and his father and several uncles served in Vietnam. After seven
years of active-duty service, he joined the Texas Air National Guard in 2003.
“I don’t like to be in the spotlight,” said Ashwood. “When people tell
me how much they appreciate my service, it’s a little overwhelming for me.
Being named an Outstanding Airman of the Year is a big honor for me, although
I’d like to be at work doing my job, I realize that I have a story that could
resonate with others who decide they want to serve their country.”
A deployment to Slovakia showed Ashwood how fortunate he is to be an
American, and how powerful an individual Airman can be.
“We were the first Air Force unit to deploy to Slovakia and use their
ranges,” said Ashwood. “The conditions they were dealing with because of the
country’s economic situation left them without up-to-date equipment, and they
weren’t necessarily able to fly the aircraft they had. But they still were very
enthusiastic about their service. They still were willing to do everything they
could to serve their country. The individual Airman’s attitude plays a huge
part of what we’re able to do as an Air Force. But you decide how
enthusiastically you’re going to serve your country.”
Ashwood does not have to look far to find motivation to excel.
“What really inspires me is my wife and kids,” Ashwood said. “Everything
I do is with them in mind. At the most basic level, I want to make sure I do something
my kids will be proud of…I want to be sure to show a good example of how to live
your life and be a good person.”
After finishing his bachelor’s degree, Ashwood began home brewing beer
as a way to unwind from work and find quiet personal time.
“I started [home brewing] to have a nice way to decompress,” said
Ashwood. “Another person at work did it, and I felt I could jump into it
easily. It provides me with a level of accomplishment – I can say ‘I made
this.’ It’s been a good outlet for me.”
Whether it’s coordinating troop-in-contact events, training the next
generation of airmen or passing along life lessons to his children, Ashwood’s
drive to succeed contributed to his selection as ANG Outstanding Senior NCO of
the Year.
“I want to be successful at whatever I do,” he said. “I want to be a
good role model to my kids, a good husband to my wife. Whatever it is I do, I
just want to do it to the fullest.”