(Fort Indiantown Gap – Annville, PA) – November 11, 2019 –At its 2019 PNGAS Awards Celebration at the Lancaster Convention Center this weekend, the Pennsylvania National Guard Associations (PNGAS) celebrated the 2019 PNGAS Guard Awards. Mission-driven, PNGAS is the only organization exclusively promoting the highest levels of readiness, modernization and quality of life for our 19,438 members and 67,500 veterans of the Pennsylvania National Guard and their families, while making sure our men and women have the very-best equipment and resources. Over the next 12-months, the Pennsylvania National Guard must recruit more than 2,300 new members to replace Guard members that have completed their commitments and/or retired. As a direct result, PNGAS legislative, budget and mission priorities reflect the critical need to attract, train and retain quality women and men in the Guard and recognize institutions that help optimize recruitment, retention and procurement strategies of the Pennsylvania National Guard. To reinforce this mission the PNGAS Guard Awards were designed to celebrate and recognize extraordinary efforts made by individuals and organizations to advance the safety, strength and continued success of the Pennsylvania National Guard. More than 20,000 votes were tabulated in the 13-award categories.
“PNGAS places great value on recognizing individuals and organizations that promote the success of the Pennsylvania National Guard. We are very pleased to announce the Finalists and Best of the Best of the 2019 PNGAS Guard Awards,” stated Kathleen Fabrizi, Executive Director, PNGAS and Pennsylvania National Guard Foundation. “Surrounding the Guard are many people and organizations undertaking exceptional actions to support the success of the Pennsylvania National Guard. Simply put, it’s a great honor to be nominated for the PNGAS Guard Awards. After more than 20,000 votes were cast, PNGAS selected the front-runners as Finalists, and those receiving the highest percentage of the votes were named, the Best of the Best!”
“Every day and on this Veteran’s Day we honor our veterans and thank our troops serving our nation both overseas and domestically,” added Chad Rettew, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Pennsylvania National Guard Associations. “and here in Pennsylvania, on behalf of PNGAS we are honored to recognize such a strong collection of dedicated people and organizations working towards the success of the Pennsylvania National Guard!”
In support of the Pennsylvania National Guard, the 2019 PNGAS Guard Awards are directly tied into the PNGAS and PNGAS Action Council mission and initiatives.
2019 Unit of the Year
Best of the Best The 28th Infantry Division
Best of the Best Utility Training Battalion
Best of the Best 193rd, SOSS
Finalist The 1-109th Battalion
Finalist 1-104th Calvary B Troop
Finalist Medical Battalion Training Site
2019 Volunteer of the Year
Best of the Best Jenny Pappas
Best of the Best Wilbur Wolf
Best of the Best Hope Wenzel
Best of the Best Katie Lacamera
Best of the Best Kathy Rutherford
Finalist Peter Paone
Finalist Michele Johnson
Finalist Liz Stern
Finalist Jonathan Sattlemeyer & Frederick Donegan
Finalist Tara Campbell
Finalist Rob Irving
Finalist Julie Claycomb
2019 Member of the Year
Best of the Best Andrew Inch
Best of the Best Michael Johnson
Best of the Best Kevin Dellicker
Best of the Best Timothy Blasco
Best of the Best Andrew Schafer
Finalist Darren Troche
Finalist Eric Bussman
Finalist Rosie Carillo
Finalist Eric Redman
Finalist Eric Kearns
2019 Spouse of the Year
Best of the Best Erinn Blasco
Best of the Best Katie Lacamera
Best of the Best Monica Koontz
Best of the Best Brittney Becker
Best of the Best Jacqui Rettew
Finalist Gina Childress
Finalist Samantha Kelly
Finalist Michele Johnson
Finalist Rachel Troche
Finalist Susan Brent
2019 Leader of the Year
Best of the Best Craig Kubicar
Best of the Best Timothy Zerbe
Best of the Best Michael Siriani
Best of the Best Paolo Sica
Finalist Stacey Arrigoni
Finalist Michael Riley
Finalist Jose Olivas
Finalist Eric Redman
Finalist Nathan Smith
Finalist Julie Curlin
2019 Recruiter of the Year
Best of the Best Nick Carlson
Best of the Best Martina Crouse
Best of the Best Rachel Ali
Best of the Best Gabe Sweiger
Finalist Jayme Porter
Finalist Joe Page
2019 Procurement Leader of the Year
Best of the Best Chad Hummel
Best of the Best Brian Beers
Finalist Jake Steiner
Finalist Michael Riley
Finalist Eric Wersler
Finalist Matthew Kauffman
Finalist Terry Fetterman
2019 Trainer of the Year
Best of the Best Jake Steiner
Best of the Best Rich Adams
Best of the Best Aaron Harman
Best of the Best Dakin Evans
Finalist Carlo Fracchione
Finalist Bill Shayner
2019 Family Readiness Leader of the Year
Best of the Best Gina Childress
Best of the Best Corrie Wadel
Best of the Best Tara Rose
Finalist Stephany Graham
Finalist Sean Stricek
Finalist Tim Smeal
2019 Veteran of the Year
Best of the Best Joel Mutschler
Best of the Best BG Wilbur Wolf
Best of the Best Larry Murphy
Best of the Best George Schwartz
Best of the Best Jessica Wright
Finalist Rob Irving
Finalist Wilhelm Ebersole
Finalist Ronda Fawber
Finalist Jenny Pappas
2019 School of the Year
Best of the Best Drexel ONLINE and Drexel University
Best of the Best Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
Best of the Best Harrisburg Area Community College
Best of the Best Pennsylvania State University
Finalist Gywnedd Mercy University
Finalist Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Finalist East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
Finalist DeVry University
Finalist University of Pennsylvania
Finalist Wilkes University
Finalist Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics
Finalist Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Finalist Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Finalist Moravian College
2019 Innovation of the Year
Best of the Best Establishing the Military Family Education Program (MFEP)
Finalist Expansion and modernization of the Education Assistance Program (EAP)
Finalist Establishing the Keystone Youth Challenge Academy
Finalist PNGAS starting the 2019 PNGAS Guard Awards
2019 Moment of the Year
Best of the Best The historic passage of the Military Family Education Program
Finalist The rescue of 18 citizens, 2 dogs and 1 cat during the flooding in Dauphin County PA
Finalist Surpassing the $10 million dollar mark from the restoration of the local tax exemption for active duty military pay
Finalist EAATS getting an accident investigation course approved by NTSB
PNGAS is an independent non-profit organization, not associated with or legally connected to the Pennsylvania National Guard, the US Military, the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs or the state or federal government
The Pennsylvania National Guard Associations, Pennsylvania National Guard Foundation, National Guard Association of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania National Guard Enlisted Association are based in Biddle Hall, Building 1-109, Fort Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA 17003-5002
Contact Information:
Kathleen Fabrizi, Executive Director, PNGAS
Biddle Hall Building, 9-109 Fort Indiantown Gap
Annville, PA 17003-5002
Email: PNGAS@PNGAS.org
