Airmen receive Sijan leadership award

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WASHINGTON (AFPN) --  The Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Duncan J. McNabb presented the Lance P. Sijan Air Force Leadership Award to four Airmen during a ceremony Aug. 20 at the Pentagon.

The award, named after the first U.S. Air Force Academy graduate to receive the Medal of Honor, recognizes Airmen who demonstrated outstanding leadership while assigned to an organization at the wing level and below.

General McNabb said these four Airmen exemplify the high standards and heroism to which all Airmen should aspire.

The recipients were:
- Lt. Col. Laura A. Soule in the senior officer category
- Capt. Stewart J. Parker in the junior officer category
- Master Sgt. William F. Facio in the senior enlisted category
- Tech. Sgt. Joshua D. King in the junior enlisted category.

-- Colonel Soule is commander of the 37th Security Forces Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. She oversees the Air Force's largest security forces deployment mission, largest military working dog operation and one of three regional confinement facilities. While deployed, she led the 447th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron during 60 rocket attacks at Sather Air Base, one of the most attacked forward operating bases in Iraq. She also served as commander of the 22nd SFS at McConnell AFB, Kansas, during which the squadron was recognized as the best medium security forces unit in Air Mobility Command.

-- Captain Parker is a special tactics officer assigned to the 21st Special Tactics Squadron at Pope AFB, N.C. While deployed to Afghanistan, he is credited with guiding an array of close air support that led to the death of a regional Taliban commander and his entire entrenched insurgent cell. Captain Parker was the 2006 Special Tactics Officer of the Year, and he also earned several squadron, group and wing level awards. He was recognized as a "Professional Performer" for his leadership during a command-level readiness inspection.

-- Sergeant Facio is now retired and serving as a contractor deployed to the Middle East. Before he retired, Sergeant Facio served as operations superintendent for the 99th Security Forces Squadron at Nellis AFB, Nev. In June 2007, he was selected as the first security forces senior noncommissioned officer to deploy to Iraq for 365 days, where he was the single Air Force leader responsible for building and training Baghdad's 25,000-man police force. Sergeant Facio was also awarded the Bronze Star for heroism for saving lives during multiple improvised explosive device, mortar and sniper attacks.

-- Sergeant King is an explosive ordnance disposal team leader with the 366th Civil Engineer Squadron at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho. While deployed to Forward Operating Base Paliwada, Iraq, with the Army's 4th Infantry Division, Sergeant King led a six-person EOD team during 367 missions. He is credited with identifying an entrapment situation where he directed tactical withdrawal and countered an insurgent attack, averting 17 casualties. Sergeant King earned the Bronze Star and Army Combat Action Medal for his heroic actions.

"After September 11th, the nation looked at these great Americans and said, 'Who shall we send? Who will go for us?' And all these great Airmen raised their hands and said, 'Here I am. Send me,'" General McNabb said of the award recipients. "This nation is so well served (by all of you), and I am honored to stand here among you."

The Lance P. Sijan award was first given in 1981. It was named in honor of the first U.S. Air Force Academy graduate to receive the Medal of Honor. Captain Sijan was shot down over Vietnam Nov. 9, 1967, and evaded capture for 45 days despite severe injuries. He later died while in a Vietnamese prisoner-of-war camp and was presented the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroism.

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