MINOT AIR FORCE BASE A North Dakota Air National Guard couple with the 219th Security Forces Squadron at Minot Air Force Base has been honored with the Air Guard's "2008 Family of the Year" award
The 219th is attached to the 119th Wing of the N.D. Air National Guard.
Tech. Sgt. Jason Augdahl and his wife, Master Sgt. Tanya Augdahl, received the prestigious award at the North Dakota Air National Guard's annual Outstanding Airman of the Year banquet held at the Courtyard by Marriott in Moorhead, Minn., Jan. 17.
Article Photos
Submitted Photo --
Master Sgt. Tanya Augdahl, second from left, shakes hands with Chief Master Sgt. Paula Johnson, state command chief, during the annual North Dakota Air National Guard Outstanding Airman of the Year banquet held Jan. 17 in Moorhead, Minn. Sgt. Jason Augdahl is at left. The Augdahls received the 2008 Outstanding Family of the Year award during the banquet. Others from left, Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, N.D. adjutant general; Col. Robert Becklund, 119th Wing commander; Johnson; and Chief Master Sgt. Brad Childs, wing command chief.
"We have over 1,000 members in the North Dakota Air Guard and each year only one family is chosen for this award. It's a great honor to receive this," said Jody Harms, 119th Wing Family Programs coordinator.
"For this new squadron to already have two members receive such an impressive award speaks volumes about the quality of airmen we have in the North Dakota Air National Guard, specifically in the 219th Security Forces Squadron, " said Col. Robert Becklund, commander of the 119th Wing.
Jason Augdahl is the Combat Arms Training and Maintenance noncommissioned officer in charge and Tanya is the Recruiting and Retention noncommissioned officer for the 219th SFS. The Augdahls were part of the cadre team to move from Fargo to Minot to support the new Air Guard squadron in September 2007.
Both faced complex challenges in their jobs with the new Air Guard mission at Minot AFB. They also volunteer time in the local community.
"This family's selfless service and sacrifices of moving to support a brand new mission critical to the success of the NDANG cannot be understated," said the nomination letter for the Augdahls.
"Tanya and Jason are both native to the Fargo-Moorhead area and willingly moved their family to a new area that they had little or no experience with to support the detachment in its most critical start-up phase. The sacrifices generated by this unselfish act cannot be understated...," the nomination letter also said.
In March 2008, Tanya Augdahl gave birth to the couple's first child, Laney.
Two "Outstanding Airmen of the Year" nominees from the 219th SFS also attended the banquet. All airmen in the North Dakota Air National Guard are eligible, but only 12 airmen are nominated each year with three winners walking away with the title of "Airmen of the Year," "NCO of the Year," or "Senior NCO of the Year."
Staff Sgt. Matt Llewellyn, from Williston, was nominated for Airman of the Year. He works in information management with the 219th.
Staff Sgt. Jamie Frankl, from Wahpeton, was nominated for NCO of the Year. Frankl is a training instructor in the 219th.
"There is no doubt that the 219th is successful because of the high caliber of airmen we have in this squadron," said Lt. Col. Tad Schauer, 219th Security Forces commander.
"For two airmen of the 219th to receive 'Family of the Year' and two more airmen to be nominated for 'Airmen of the Year' and 'NCO of the Year' is just another example of the exceptional Air Guard personnel that now live in Minot," Schauer said.
The 219th is the first Air Guard unit to be dispatched into the missile field surrounding Minot AFB, joining active-duty airmen from the 91st Missile Security Forces Squadron.