144th FW Airman wins 2014 State OA

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Klynne Pearl Serrano
  • 144th Fighter Wing
FRESNO AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Calif --  An Airman assigned to the 144th Fighter Wing was named California's 2014 Outstanding Airman of the Year at the 2015 Soldier and Airmen of the Year Banquet Jan. 17, 2015.

Senior Airman Harry Vong, 144th Maintenance Squadron management production technician, manages the 144th FW's F-15 Eagle fleet scheduling, ensuring execution of more than 2,060 fly hours. Vong contributed to the delivery of 1,382 combat training sorties, which produced 11 combat ready pilots. Vong organized temporary duty rosters for three 60-day deployments--accepting and transferring 120 personnel. He also accepted all historical documentation for two aircraft with zero discrepancies and was directly responsible for boosting the 2012 fiscal year Flying and Maintenance Scheduling Effectiveness rates which led to a 97 percent delivery rate.

On top of his primary duties, Vong built an Excel Fitness Workbook for the 144th Force Support Squadron, enabling the squadron to enroll 115 personnel, 86 of which improved their fitness level and passed 17 previously failed physical fitness tests.
He also designed the budget database for the 144th Maintenance Group--managing and executing $205,000 to 99.9 percent, which has improved by 2.9 percent within the last year.

Vong is also an avid community volunteer. He represented the California ANG at Memorial Day events, volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, read books to children for the "Read for the Record Fresno" campaign, and is a trained member of the 144th FW Task Force Phoenix and is ready to fight fires anytime and anywhere in the western United States.

After graduating from the University of California in Irvine and working with his uncle doing online retail for a couple of years, Vong decided to join the California ANG in 2012 with hopes to make a difference not only in the ANG but in people's lives.
"My brother is in the Reserves and he suggested looking into the Air National Guard," Vong    said. "I read the Air Force's core values and those three statements made my decision to join very easy."

Vong credits the support from his leadership and family for getting the OAY award and his success today.  144th FW Airman wins 2014 State OAY "It is an honor," Vong said. "I love what I do and it's humbling to see that my work is being noticed by others."
By working on himself and striving to be a better person, Vong said the positive difference has shown through his work here with the ANG.

"I've worked on my core a lot as far as being who I am as an individual--working on being stable financially, mentally, physically and spiritually has really helped," Vong said. "And just living by the Air Force's core values and finding a great mentor really need."