Key Field Air National Guard Base, Miss. -- Six airmen of the 186th Air Refueling Wing (ARW), Meridian, Mississippi, have been honored with distinguished awards. The awards include the 2025 Airmen of the Year (AOY), Sonny Montgomery Foundation Award, and the Benthall Leadership Award. Each year, candidates are selected at the wing level and put forward for consideration at the state level.
“The excellence these members demonstrate is not a single act, but a habit of superior performance,” said Commander Col. Cynthia Smith. “This recognition is reserved for the most outstanding enlisted members of our Wing for superior leadership, job performance, community involvement, and personal achievements.”
The following individuals were recognized as AOY award recipients:
Airman of the Year - Senior Airman Miller Rebeles, with the 186th Security Forces Squadron (SFS), serves as a Security Forces Journeyman. He plays a vital role in the Security Response Team (SRT) and is tasked with mentoring younger troops in their respective duty assignments within the squadron. In addition, he is actively involved in the VCO program and has recently returned from a six-month deployment.
Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year- Tech. Sgt. Zachery Wilkerson, with the 186th Civil Engineering Squadron (CES), serves as a Pavement and Construction Craftsman. His role involves supervising construction efforts and guaranteeing the maintenance and inspection of runways, roads, and parking aprons. Recently, he co-led a significant collaborative team of airmen and effectively managed a project budget totaling $1.5 million.
Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year- Master Sgt. Mark Gregory, with the 186th Communications Flight, serves as the Installation Spectrum Manager. He oversees the management of the electromagnetic spectrum to facilitate the efficient functioning of both military and civilian communication systems. Under his leadership, his team has successfully maintained Radio Frequency assets valued at $15.7 million and has provided 98 frequencies in support of operations Spartan Shield and Enduring Sentinel.
First Sergeant of the Year - Master Sgt. Justin Hall, with the 186th CES, serves as the squadron First Sergeant. As First Sergeant, Hall is responsible for maintaining the morale, discipline and welfare of nearly 70 enlisted engineers. Within five months of assuming the First Sergeant position, Hall successfully overhauled the unit's Family Care Plan program, benefiting more than a dozen personnel.
The 2025 Sonny Montgomery Foundation Award winner is Master Sgt. LinCharles Pippins, with 186th SFS. Serving as Flight Sergeant, he oversees the management and development of flight personnel, formulates tactical level policies, and supervises base defense operations. Additionally, he functions as an active shooter and incident response instructor and provides advisory support to the installation Resource Protection Program Manager.
The 2025 Wayne Benthall Leadership Award has been awarded to Master Sgt. William Smith, a Crew Chief with the 186th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. Smith is responsible for the overall upkeep of the assigned aircraft and the training and deployment of maintenance personnel, ensuring efficient global mobility and responsive combat support. In addition, he provides valuable technical expertise that aids in the development of squadron crew chiefs and specialists through Cross-Utilization, thereby supporting the initiatives of Agile Combat Employment (ACE) and Multi-Capable Airmen (MCA).
The 186 ARW provides over 1,100 personnel and eight KC-135R aircraft to Air Mobility Command for worldwide operations. Additional units at Key Field include the 238th Air Support Operations Squadron, the 248th Air Traffic Control Squadron, and the 186th Air Operations Group.