Named one of four Airmen of the Year by 5,800-member force
New York Air National Guard Master Sgt. Tricia Shivers of Canastota, a member of the 174th Attack Wing based at Hancock Field Air National, was named Outstanding First Sergeant of the Year by the 5,800-member New York Air National Guard.
In the Air Force, a first sergeant is a special duty designation, not a rank.
The first sergeant reports directly to the unit commander on matters of enlisted morale, welfare and conduct and is the chief enlisted advisor to the commander on all of these factors. He or she also counsels personnel on qualities of leadership, military customs and courtesies, personal and professional development.
Shivers serves as the first sergeant of the 174th Attack Wing’s 138th Attack Squadron; she was selected as Outstanding Airman of the Year-First Sergeant Category by a board made up of senior enlisted leaders from across the New York Air National Guard.
The New York National Guard picks four Airmen of the Year annually in the categories of First Sergeant, Airman, Non-Commissioned Officer and Senior Non-Commissioned Officer.
“Sergeant Shivers distinguished herself as a professional mentor,” said Command Chief Master Sgt. Denny Richardson, senior enlisted leader in the New York Air National Guard, adding that she looks out for the welfare of her Airmen. “Sergeant Shivers was hand-selected to lead process improvement efforts for the wings recruiting and retention office, producing positive results for our number one priority next to airman safety.”
Shivers joined the Air Force in 2004 and served on active duty until 2018. She deployed four times during her active duty service to Iraq and Afghanistan.
In 2012, Shivers graduated from the Basic Sensor Operator Course at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, and continued onto MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft initial qualification training at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico…
In 2015, she graduated RQ-170 Sentinel remotely piloted aircraft Sensor Operator initial qualification training at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. As an RQ-170 Sensor Operator, she was an evaluator, operations superintendent and conducted operational tests and evaluations.
The sensor systems are the cameras and other equipment on remotely piloted aircraft, which enables them to observe people, places and equipment on the ground.
In 2018, she enlisted in the New York Air National Guard and requalified on the MQ-9 at Hancock Air National Guard Base as Distinguished Graduate; she also became the Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of Training for the 138th Attack Squadron.
Shivers holds an associate’s degrees in management accounting from Herkimer County Community College, in air and space operations technology and in aerospace ground equipment maintenance from Community College of the Air Force.
Her awards include Meritorious Service Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters and the Air Force Achievement Medal.