JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- Command Sgt. Maj. Janet F. Thomas of the 8th Special Troops Battalion, Sgt. 1st Class Jadia L. Scott of the 8th Theater Sustainment Command and 1st Lt. Shayla N. Leathers of the 303D Ordnance Battalion (EOD), 8th Military Police Brigade, were honored by the Honolulu-Hawaii chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People during a luncheon Saturday, Sept. 3, at the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Officer's Club.
Thomas, Scott and Leathers were amongst 18 service members nominated by their commands for their exceptional leadership and selfless community service while serving at military commands located in Guam, Hawaii, Japan and Korea.
The awardees were presented their awards by Alphonso Braggs, president of the Honolulu-Hawaii chapter of the NAACP, who commended the service members for their service and hard work.
"The community takes great pride and joy in recognizing and thanking you for your service," Braggs said to the awardees. "It is what you do that allows us to sleep well at night in knowing that we can enjoy the liberties that are contained within our constitution."
Thomas, the 8th STB's command sergeant major, received the NAACP's Dr. Mary McCloud Bethune Inspirational Leadership Award during the ceremony, while Scott, a movements noncommissioned officer with the 8th TSC, received the Ida B. Wells-Barnett Meritorious Community Service Award.
Scott said that she was appreciative of her selection for the award, and credited her leaders throughout her career for her success.
"I'm astonished by it," Scott said of her selection. "I'm very thankful for it and this lets me know that what I do is making a difference."
"Being able to emulate the positive images that mentors portrayed and wanting to give back to the communities that I belong to, whether civilian or military, helped get me to this point," Scott continued.
Thomas said she considered the experience to be "humbling".
"I'm humbled, but very appreciative of the opportunity," she said. "It's truly amazing."
Founded Feb. 12, 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest, largest and most widely recognized grassroots-based civil rights organization. Find more information on the Honolulu, Hawaii chapter of the NAACP at http://naacphawaii.zohosites.com/ or (808) 599-5500.
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