The four airmen USAF announced in December 2005 as the recipients of the 2005 Lance P. Sijan Air Force Leadership Award came to Washington, D.C., this week to participate in a Pentagon ceremony, officiated by Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Lichte, the Air Force assistance vice chief of staff and director of staff. The honorees were Lt. Col. Gerald Ven Dange from the Defense Contract Management Agency West in Redondo Beach, Calif.; Capt. William Dains from Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; MSgt. Ramon Colon-Lopez from Kirtland AFB, N.M.; and SrA. Grailin Blamer from Ft. Lewis, Wash.
Some Guard Troops Won’t Get Paid Until Shutdown Ends
Oct. 29, 2025
The National Guard Bureau says most units are postponing drills during the shutdown, but some states are sticking to their training schedule, resulting in a patchwork of different policies and some confusion in the ranks.

