2025 Missouri Wing Annual Conference Award Winners

Highlights from the conference included:

• Commander’s Commendation Award: 1st Lt. Phil O’Connell, 1st Lt. Stephanie O’Connell, and Al Franz, Platte Valley Composite Squadron
• Meritorious Service Award: Capt. Christina Ragain, Trail of Tears Composite Squadron
• General Billy Mitchell Award and promotion to Cadet 2nd Lieutenant: Cadet Matthew Allcock and Cadet Eli Edgy, Trail of Tears Composite Squadron
• Amelia Earhart Award and promotion to Cadet Captain: Cadet Amy Glaesemann, Warrensburg Composite Squadron
• Promotion of Capt. Jon Pennington to Major, Gateway Senior Squadron
• Paul E. Garber Award and completion of CAP Senior Member Professional Development Level 4 training: Maj. Jessica Rice, Lee’s Summit Composite Squadron
• Retirement from Civil Air Patrol: Lt. Col. Randy Fuller and Lt. Col. Ernie Venis

Annual Missouri Wing unit award winners included:

• Unit with the Best Social Media Program for the Year: Col. Travis Hoover Composite Squadron
• Unit with the Best Newsletter of the Year: Lake Ozark Regional Composite Squadron
• Aerospace Education Activity of the Year: Table Rock Lake Composite Squadron
• Aerospace Education Achievement Awards: Col. Travis Hoover Composite Squadron, Harry S Truman Composite Squadron, Kansas City-Charles R Long Senior Squadron, Lake Ozark Regional Composite Squadron, Lee’s Summit Composite Squadron, Saline County Composite Squadron, Sedalia Cadet Flight, Springfield Regional Composite Squadron, and Table Rock Lake Composite Squadron
• Quality Cadet Unit Award: Col Travis Hoover Composite Squadron, Ft. Leonard Wood Composite Squadron, Lake Ozark Regional Composite Squadron, Lee’s Summit Composite Squadron, Platte Valley Composite Squadron, Sedalia Cadet Flight, Springfield Regional Composite Squadron, and Table Rock Lake Composite Squadron
• Cadet Program of the Year: Lee’s Summit Composite Squadron
• Senior Program of the Year: Gateway Senior Squadron
• Squadron of Merit Award: Lee’s Summit Composite Squadron
• Squadron of the Year: Col. Travis Hoover Composite Squadron

Annual Missouri Wing individual award winners included:

• Administrative Officer of the Year: 2d Lt. Shannon Groll, Lake Ozark Regional Composite Squadron
• Personnel Officer of the Year: Maj. Jon Pennington, Gateway Senior Squadron
• Recruiting Officer of the Year: 2d Lt. Janis Bays, Lake Ozark Regional Composite Squadron
• Property Management Officer of the Year: Capt. Clayton Woodbridge, Col. Travis Hoover Composite Squadron
• Aircraft Maintenance Officer of the Year: 1st Lt. Bryan McDonald, Gateway Senior Squadron
• Historian of the Year: 2d Lt. Shannon Groll, Lake Ozark Regional Composite Squadron
• Communications Officer of the Year: 1st Lt Alan Knapp, Springfield Regional Composite Squadron
• Education & Training Officer of the Year: Lt. Col. Kurt Glaesemann, Lee’s Summit Composite Squadron
• Public Affairs Officer of the Year: Maj. Henry Cole, Col. Travis Hoover Composite Squadron
• Health Services Officer of the Year: Capt. Beth Hamilton, Springfield Regional Composite Squadron
• Safety Officer of the Year: Maj. Stephen Kelly, Gateway Senior Squadron
• Finance Officer of the Year: 2d Lt. Sandra Nordell, Col. Travis Hoover Composite Squadron
• Aerospace Education Teacher of the Year: 2d Lt. Benjamin Creen, Gateway Senior Squadron
• Aerospace Education Officer of the Year: Maj. Jon David Van Horn, Lee’s Summit Composite Squadron
• Colonel David Small Jr. sUAS Crewmember of the Year: Capt. Clayton Woodbridge, Col. Travis Hoover Composite Squadron
• Lt. Col. T. Keith Riddle Aircrew Member of the Year: 1st Lt. Christopher Mix, Col. Travis Hoover Composite Squadron
• Colonel David Kantor Operations Staff Officer of the Year: Lt. Col. Kurt Glaesemann, Lee’s Summit Composite Squadron
• Orientation Pilot of the Year (Powered): Michael Benes, Gateway Senior Squadron
• Orientation Pilot of the Year (Glider): (Tied) 2d Lt. Michael Haynes, Harry S. Truman Composite Squadron; and 2d Lt. Michael Ketteman, Lee’s Summit Composite Squadron
• Orientation Pilot of the Year (Combine Powered/Glider): Lt. Col. Bryce Herkert, Springfield Regional Composite Squadron
• Frank G. Brewer Memorial Aerospace Award – Cadet: Cadet Capt. Betty Johnson, Lake Ozark Regional Composite Squadron
• Frank G. Brewer Memorial Aerospace Award – Senior: Maj. Clifford Sutcliffe, Lake Ozark Regional Composite Squadron
• Frank G. Brewer Memorial Aerospace Award – Organization: 509th Bomb Wing, U.S. Air Force
• Chaplain of the Year: Chaplain (Capt.) Guillaume Williams, Lake Ozark Regional Composite Squadron
• John V. “Jack” Sorenson Cadet Programs Officer of the Year: 1st Lt. Christopher Mix, Col. Travis Hoover Composite Squadron
• Cadet NCO of the Year: Cadet 2d Lt. Elias Tuck, Table Rock Lake Composite Squadron
• Cadet Junior Officer of the Year: Cadet Capt. Rhian Fletcher, Table Rock Lake Composite Squadron
• Air Force Association's (AFA) Aerospace Education Cadet of the Year: Cadet Capt. Daniel O’Connell, Platte Valley Composite Squadron
• Squadron Commander of the Year: Lt. Col. Jason Smallfield, Lake Ozark Regional Composite Squadron
• Torch Award: Capt. Victoria Van Horn, Lee’s Summit Composite Squadron
• Cadet of the Year: Cadet Maj. Layla Cranston, Lee’s Summit Composite Squadron
• Senior Member of the Year: Maj. Sampath Samarasinghe, Harry S. Truman Composite Squadron
• Lt. Col. John Otradovec Lifetime Achievement Award: CMSgt. Charline O’Neill, Missouri Wing Headquarters