186 ARW Officer Wins G. V. "Sonny" Montgomery Foundation Leadership Award...Again

  • Published
  • By SSgt Kimberly Rawson
  • 186th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs Office
Key Field ANGB, Miss. --  The Mississippi National Guard Officer Association selected Captain Jeremiah W. Mikell, Wing Comptroller, 186 Air Refueling Wing, as the 2012 recipient of the G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery Foundation Leadership Award.

Since the inception of this award in 2007, three officers from the 186th Air Refueling Wing have been the only recipients to represent the Air National Guard in their respective years. The leadership award rotates between the Air and Army National Guard each year. Past 186 ARW officers receiving this award were Captain Vaughn Threat (2010) and Captain Jeremy Parker (2008).

"I am deeply honored and humbled to have been selected as the recipient of the prestigious G.V. Sonny Montgomery Leadership Award," said Captain Mikell. "I believe the qualities which brought me to this point in my military career were gained in the days of my youth. These qualities include professionalism, the demonstration of potential and capacity to grow under corresponding circumstances."

Captain Mikell's remarkable achievements and dedicated service demonstrate the highest standards of leadership, technical skills and professionalism as the Wing Comptroller at the 186th Air Refueling Wing. He helped coordinate distribution operations throughout the state after Hurricane Katrina, as well as, maintaining financial management responsibility for all other members supporting the operations. He has also deployed to Guam as the Installation Deployment Officer in support of the Pacific Tanker Task Force and has been an outstanding performer in multiple higher headquarters inspections.

Each year the National Guard Association of Mississippi presents the award to a commissioned officer of the Mississippi National Guard that displays outstanding patriotism and leadership qualities. The winners are selected from a pool of nominees by their respective units and in-turn the Montgomery Foundation makes a gift of $5,000 in each award winner's name.

The award will be presented to Captain Mikell at the National Guard Association of Mississippi Officer's Conference April 28, 2012 in Tunica, Miss.