Nevada Air Guard family day attracts thousands

RENO – The Nevada Air Guard recently hosted its annual Family Day here at the air base.

The Silver State’s Airmen exchanged their military duties for an afternoon of fun activities and picnicking with relatives and friends.

There were numerous attractions and fun activities for all including a dunk tank, a pie-in-the-face fundraiser, various equipment displays, a climbing tower, bounce houses, a classic car show and food provided by Kinder’s Barbecue and Outback Steakhouse.

With the cancellation of this year’s Operational Readiness Inspection, the vast majority of Nevada’s Airmen were in Reno for Family Day versus Alpena, Mich., for the inspection. The cancellation of the inspection and comfortable weather combined to attract more than 2,000 Airmen and their family members to Family Day, Guard officials said.

There was also some military business to attend to during Family Day.

The 152nd Medical Group promoted its commander, Shanna Woyak, to the rank of colonel. Woyak’s husband, Kurt, already a colonel, welcomed her as the Airlift Wing’s newest “full-bird” colonel. Kurt and the Woyak children helped pin on Shanna’s new rank.

After the promotion ceremony, it was time to recognize some airmen for their recent achievements.

The National Guard’s “Minuteman Award” was presented to Tech. Sgt. Shay Gilliam in recognition of his “Chaplain Assistant of the Year” award. Maj. Evan Kirkwood was recognized for his “Air National Guard Instructor Navigator of the Year” award earlier this year.

The commander of the Nevada Air Guard, Brig. Gen. David Snyder, presented his coin to five members of the Nevada National Guard’s “Family Care Team.” Snyder presented his coin for the Care Team’s effort to assist Marine families affected by the March incident at the Hawthorne Army Depot. The Care Team members were: Cortney Huth (Military Personnel Services Corporation contractor and Family Care Team coordinator), Becky Taulman (volunteer), Joni Moore (volunteer), Kim Ritter (volunteer) and Kim Burgess (volunteer).

Finally, 152nd Airlift Wing commander Col. Jeffrey Burkett presented car show trophies to the four car-show contest winners and retirement “mirrors” to several Airmen who retired this past year.