FORT SILL, Okla.--A former air defense artillery instructor was recently announced as the Training and Doctrine Command warrant officer instructor of the year for 2009.

Chief Warrant Officer Adam Shereyk, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, Fort Bliss, Texas, was recognized for his work as an instructor with the 2nd Battalion, 6th ADA Regiment, 6th ADA Brigade, which relocated from Fort Bliss to Fort Sill during Shereyk's time as an instructor.

Shereyk was the senior instructor for the 140A Warrant Officer Basic Course and an instructor and program manager for the Air Defense Airspace Management Cell Resident Course for two and a half years. He transferred to the 32nd AAMDC at the end of January, and he no longer teaches, but instead works as a command and control systems integrator.

"I see this as an award for the unit a group effort. I didn't do this on my own it took the support of my unit ... my family," said Shereyk, who is originally from Chicago. "I think the award reflects on the Air Defense branch, warrant officers and my fellow instructors, too."

Shereyk will be presented the prestigious award along with other TRADOC instructors of the year May 18 at a ceremony in Newport News, Va.

Shereyk said he was completely shocked when he heard he was the instructor of the year.

"Not that I didn't think that I deserved the award, but I wasn't expecting it," said Shereyk, who lives with his wife and children in El Paso, Texas.

It was no surprise to Shereyk's former Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Kyle Foley, 2nd-6th ADA, who was also his senior rater.

"He's the most professional instructor that I've seen," said Foley. "He's also an outstanding father and husband."

Shereyk's accomplishments for 2009 include assisting with the development of the program of instruction for the airspace control integration for TRADOC, Foley said.

The POI was validated by a mobile training team at Fort Campbell, Ky., in December, who trained airspace managers and air defenders in brigade combat teams for deployment, Foley said.

"That instruction was right on the money according to feedback from Soldiers who took the training," Foley said.

Shereyk also trained about 35 warrant officer during the year in the WOBC the initial course for ADA warrants, Foley said.

Shereyk said he enjoyed being an instructor at the ADA school.

"It was a very rewarding experience mainly because you see the fruits of your labor with the former students, who are now out in the field," Shereyk said. "It's nice getting calls back saying, 'Hey, we know you trained this guy because he's doing great things."

What was the most challenging part of being an instructor' All the things that an instructor has to do besides teach, he said. These included meetings, conference, briefings, paperwork and much more.

"There is so much extra stuff that goes beyond than just doing the teaching," Shereyk said. "Having time management and patience are definitely virtures."

Editor's Note: Four other Fires Center of Excellence instructors were among the top three finalists in their respective categories in the TRADOC competition. They were Chief Warrant Officer Jimmy Gomez, 428th FA Brigade, FA School; Air Force Master Sgt. Dusty Hodges, Joint and Combined Integration Directorate; Sgt. 1st Class Spencer Knight, Noncommissioned Officers Academy, ADA Senior Leader Course; and Alfred Sandoval, 428th FA, FA School.