Fort Huachuca, Arizona - Fort Huachuca's "best of the best" for 2014 were honored Feb. 20 at the 2015 Annual Installation Awards Banquet at the Thunder Mountain Activity Centre.
Seven civilian and military personnel were honored at the event in front of their friends, family, peers and superiors.
"Leadership is really what we are celebrating tonight, excellence in leadership," said Maj. Gen. Robert Ashley, commanding general, U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence and Fort Huachuca, USAICoE. "What starts here changes the world, so when you raised your right hand, you started to change your world to make yourself a better person, to be part of something that is bigger than you. Whether it's a Sailor, whether it's an Airman, Soldier or Civilian of service, it's a huge endeavor."
"We are going to recognize a bunch of people tonight, and we're not going to just recognize the Soldiers, Sailor and the Marine and Civilian, we're going to bring their families up. That's why we serve, starts with our families, the family that's in here tonight," Ashley added.
The Civilian of the Year, Richard Davis, had an outpouring of support from his family at the ceremony. "I think it's wonderful to have everyone recognized for the job that they do. What mother wouldn't be proud?" said Cathy Davis.
"It's critical that we recognize the Soldiers for what they do and I think what it really does is it inspires other Soldiers to achieve and do better and be the best they can be," Ashley said after the event.
"I think what is just as important is recognizing the Spouse of the Year; people don't realize how much our families do for the military, for community, how much they give back of their time, and a lot of spouses have full time jobs, they're watching the kids and their making sure their Service member doesn't have distractions so they can focus as they need to on work, deployments, things like that. It's good and it's the right thing to do," he added.
This year's Military Spouse of the Year award went to Cynthia Giesecke who has been a military spouse for 14 years this March.
"I'm honored because all of the spouses … deserve an award; it's really nice to be acknowledged. But I don't do this for recognition. I love serving my community and I know there are many other spouses that do the same and give a lot and go through a lot of things that regular civilian women and men spouses don't go through, so I'm honored and humbled to receive this recognition," Giesecke said.
"We recognize our best so it's important to do this at an event like this so everyone can acknowledge it, something to be proud of and it makes others want to be that next winner next year," said Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffery Fairley, USAICoE command sergeant major.
Not only were the top performers recognized at the award banquet but also five Army units were recognized for having achieved 100 percent or more on their last fiscal year retention objectives. Those who met these standards are: the 111th Military Intelligence Brigade, the Military Intelligence Corps Army Band, the 18th Military Police Detachment, the Non-commissioned Officer Academy and Headquarters and Headquarters Company, USAICoE.
Civilian of the Year, Richard Davis
This year's winner is an Electronic Proving Ground test engineer.
"It's a fantastic honor but like with any kind of these awards, the real recognition is the people behind you who get you that award. In my case it was outstanding NCOs that set the groundwork that allowed me to get the mission done, in order to get this recognition in the first place, so without them, this would have never happened," he said on being honored as Civilian of the Year. Davis performs operational testing for the Army. He tests MI systems in a real-world environment before the Soldiers are provided with the equipment. Davis spent 21 years in the Army and retired as a sergeant first class. After retirement he went into civil service.
Military Spouse of the Year, Cynthia Giesecke
Giesecke volunteers at several places in the community, but her short list is acting president of the Fort Huachuca Community Spouses Club, is involved in the 4H program with the University of Arizona, the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona and Cochise County. Her husband is Maj. Heath Giesecke, NETCOM.
Giesecke thinks the best part about being a military spouse is the opportunities she is offered everywhere she goes. "With a good attitude, good perspective, there are so many things out there that one can do and experience and I think that that's one thing that I find as a blessing is that every community is different," she said.
Marine of the Year, Sgt. Nancy Ruiz
The Marine of the Year is assigned to Fort Huachuca's Marine Corps Detachment.
Ruiz has been a Marine for a little over five years and stationed at Fort Huachuca for one of those years. Ruiz's job with the Marine Corps Detachment allows her to help fellow Marines with finances, counseling, physical training and mentally teaching them about the Marine Corps. She was shocked when she found out she was named Marine of the Year. "It's an honor that people think that way about me, like I said I didn't expect it." Ruiz not only enjoyed being honored at the event but also mostly just enjoyed the camaraderie being built.
Sailor of the Year, 1st Class Petty Officer Mario Scheri
Scheri is an information systems technician at the Joint Interoperability Test Command.
The man joined the Navy after a recruiter came to his 11th grade classroom and offered him a position working with computers. He has now been in the service for six and a half years. He felt honored to be recognized at the award ceremony and grateful for all the support. "I look forward to retaining my crown next year," he said, jokingly.
Advice he offered to next year's competitors is to be well rounded in their jobs, collateral duties and community service.
Soldier of the Year, Spc. Benjamin Sepulveda
This year's winner is with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Garrison, and is a chaplain's assistant.
Sepulveda has only been in the Army for one year and is still getting used to being a Soldier. His father served 23 years and retired as a master sergeant, his brother is a captain and Black Hawk pilot. The Army is a tradition in their family and he was glad to just live up to that tradition by joining. Sepulveda is currently obtaining his Masters of Divinity and wants to eventually be a pastor in some capacity.
"Can I say it was fantastic?" he joked about the Soldier of the Year competition, also stating that it was a very trying and tough experience. "I'm very honored. I've got an amazing command; they've done tireless work to prepare me for this and to be able to go back to them with this and show them my accomplishment in [this] and I guess their accomplishment in helping me get this far. It's humbling."
Non-commissioned Officer of the Year, Sgt. Bryan Hudson
Fort Huachuca's winning NCO for 2014 is with the 18th Military Police Detachment.
Hudson joined the Army six years ago to do something to make his family and himself proud. Hudson claims the best part of being in the military is all the great people you meet from all across the country and the world. "It was a good experience, great to be recognized over all the other NCOs here on post, being as there are a lot of great NCOs here … and to be singled out, it was just a great experience for me," he said.
Instructor of the Year, Sgt. 1st Class Jakane Zahara, Non-commissioned Officer Academy, was not present.
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