SFS Airman earns top AFRC HONORS

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Timm Huffman
  • 439th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, Mass. --  Following a 10-month deployment to Southwest Asia, MSgt. Anthony Giardini Jr., 439th Security Forces Squadron Operations Superintendent, was named Air Force Reserve Command's Outstanding Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.

The award caps a string of honors awarded to the 18-year Air Force and security forces veteran, including Westover's SNCO of the Year and AF Outstanding Security Forces Air Reserve Component SNCO of the Year.

MSgt. Giardini credits his fellow SFS Airmen for his recognition.
 
"I look at it as a shared award. I wouldn't be receiving this without a strong NCO corps and good Airmen," he said.
 
Before leaving for his recent and sixth deployment, lasting 264 days, the master sergeant was a squad leader in charge of 13 Airmen. Deployed leadership chose him as operations superintendent, and he oversaw about 150 Airmen.

MSgt. Giardini said it was like "going from the frying pan to the fire." He was accountable for a military working dog unit, law enforcement, security, intelligence gathering and managing host-nation sensitivities and relationships.

While deployed, MSgt. Giardini and his Airmen gathered intelligence that resulted in the capture of an individual with anti-American beliefs who was surveying the base from a brokendown vehicle. He also built in-roads with the local military through joint training and even found a way to provide female Airmen the opportunity to train in a joint environment, by connecting them with female security members at a local hospital. Most importantly, he said, "everyone came home safe."

He said the toughest part of the deployment was forward deploying Airmen to places like Bagram Airfield, where he knew they would be in harm's way.

Capt. Bruce Lawler, 439th SFS operations officer, said that operations supervisor is one of the most challenging positions in the career field, but that LRS hauls in major command awards MSgt. Giardini thrived, which shows true leadership ability.

"He took the lead and got the job done," said Capt. Lawler.

In addition to excelling in his official duties, MSgt. Giardini helped establish the Wounded Warrior Project in his hometown, Brockton, Mass. He also organized a Wounded Warrior Project fund-raiser during his deployment, which raised $4,000 for the nonprofit that supports troops wounded in combat. Additionally, he's a 13-year veteran of the police force, currently serving in Brockton.

CMSgt. Christopher Kellam said that MSgt. Giardini sets the bar high. He puts his Airmen's affairs before his own, and he has the respect of the men and women of the 439th SFS for that.

"I wish the wing was filled with Airmen like Giardini," said CMSgt. Kellam. "He's the epitome of an NCO."