2004 Marine of the Year
notable
Corporal Robert Pfeil
2004 Marine of the Year
honorable
Captain Jason Vose
A Marine Force Recon officer deployed to the Joint Interagency Task Force West in the Philippines, Captain Jason Vose volunteered to deploy to Kuwait, and then was assigned to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Iraq. Captain Vose had earlier completed certification as an Emergency Medical Technician on his off-duty time, and when his unit was attacked by the enemy, he personally administered emergency aid to the seriously wounded, staying with his Marines even during the evacuation flight to the field hospital. While this third generation Marine has served in several hot spots, he's just as comfortable acting as Santa to needy kids and coordinating a toy drive with local radio stations and newspapers back home.
2004 Marine of the Year
honorable
Sergeant Alejandro Diaz
Sergeant Alejandro Diaz trained over 200 personnel from all branches of the military in firefighting principles and techniques as an instructor, and is the first Marine to be awarded the Colin Powell Award in Education. He stepped up to coordinate the Toys for Tots campaign in a unit with only a few Marines, and collected over 25,000 toys for distribution to needy children. Along with volunteering as the colors sergeant for military ceremonies in the San Antonio area, he visits with wounded Marines in the AFB hospital, volunteers as a tutor for children after school, and has received the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal for the many hours he has dedicated to community service.
2004 Marine of the Year
winner
Staff Sergeant Wade Davis
2004 Soldier of the Year
notable
Command Sergeant Major Evelyn Hollis
2004 Soldier of the Year
notable
Staff Sergeant Jennifer Gray
2004 Soldier of the Year
notable
Major Randel Cassels
2004 Soldier of the Year
honorable
Captain Christine Hoffman
Surviving a personal battle with cancer, this Massachusetts Army National Guard officer was mobilized and deployed to Iraq leading the 1058th Transportation Company. Under her guidance, her truck masters modified their trucks as "gun trucks" to increase protection against attacks and successfully completed over 500 missions traversing 800,000 miles. She taught herself Arabic to help get needed supplies in support of her troops. And back home, she assisted families with transportation and other services in the face of natural disaster.
2004 Soldier of the Year
honorable
Staff Sergeant Britt Skaggs
Serving as a defense courier during Operation Iraqi Freedom, SSG Skaggs made several deliveries of highly classified materials into hot spots in eastern Europe and the middle east, earning recognition as Courier of the Year. Despite a 40% staffing shortage in the Kuwaiti office, he maintained the shop's operational readiness and went out of his way to ensure everyday problems were taken care of for his fellow soldiers. Since reassignment to the Defense Intelligence Agency, he is an active volunteer with the Special Olympics, JROTC and coaches local youth sports teams.
