Five named Airmen of the Year for 2022 by New York National Guard's Scotia-based 109th Airlift Wing

Airmen honored for excellent service during 2021

Scotia, New York (01/20/2022) — Five Airmen from the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing, based at Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia, have been named wing Airmen of the year in recognition of their exceptional service.

The five have been recognized as "Outstanding Airman of the Year" in categories based on their rank and responsibilities in the 1,140 member air wing.

Those recognized are:

Staff Sgt. Jessica Cruz, a Troy resident, as Airman of the Year.
Technical Sgt. Cole Vanderlinden, a Ballston Spa resident, as Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year.
Senior Master Sgt. Yamayra Rodriguez, an Amsterdam resident, as Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year.
Master Sgt. Sally Baker, a Rotterdam resident, as First Sergeant of the Year.
Capt. Brittany Stackhouse, a Loudonville resident, as Company Grade Officer of the Year.

Airmen that receive this distinction are exceptional leaders, have gone above and beyond their typical job duties and exemplify the Air Force Core Values of Integrity, Excellence and Service Before Self.

The five members of the 109th Airlift Wing will now compete against their peers from the New York Air National Guard's other four wings to determine who are the top Airmen in the 5,900 member organization.

Airman of the Year- Staff Sgt. Jessica Cruz, a Troy resident, was awarded Airman of the Year.

Cruz has been a member of the 109th Airlift Wing for over three years and works in the air transportation section.

Cruz volunteered for a deployment to Ali Al Salem Airbase, Kuwait where she built pallets and checked in more than 27 tons of cargo. Additionally, Cruz deployed to Greenland to provide support for the National Science Foundation, where she moved over 141,000 tons of cargo and processed 133 passengers for 33 missions.

Cruz's awards include the Air Force Achievement Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal and the Armed Forces Medal.

In her civilian life, Cruz works at the Rensselaer County Corrections Office, and resides in Troy with her daughter.

Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year- Tech Sgt. Cole Vanderlinden, a Ballston Spa resident, has been awarded Outstanding Airman of the year for the year 2022.

Vanderlinden, an accounting analyst in the Air National Guard, has been a member of the 109th Airlift Wing at Stratton Air National Guard Base in Schenectady, NY for eight years. He has served in multiple roles as part of the unit's comptroller flight.

During the 2021 fiscal year, Vanderlinden was responsible for nearly $30 million positioned to fund 837 flying sorties and over two thousand flying hours, ensuring mission success for the unit's operations in remote Polar Regions.

Tech Sgt. Vanderlinden resides in Ballston Spa, NY with his wife Catherine and their two sons.

Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year- Senior Master Sgt. Yamayra Rodriguez, an Amsterdam native, won the 2022 Outstanding Airman of the Year in the senior non-commissioned officer category.

Rodriguez was recognized for her work as the senior enlisted leader at the 109th Force Support Squadron.

Her innovative efforts overhauled multiple personnel programs, saving $252,000 in funds. She helped 131 airmen deploy to the Middle East as well as 200 airmen to Antarctica and New Zealand support Operation Deep Freeze in.

In her most recent deployment, Rodriguez volunteered to lead the Air Force's largest personnel team to support Operations at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.

While deployed, Rodriguez volunteered over 200 hours to assisting chapel programs, as well as the United Service Organization and Fallen Warrior program. Rodriguez is a community leader on base and created a local outreach program that has volunteered for 22 events in the capital region.

Rodriguez enlisted at the 109th Airlift Wing in 2005 as an Operations Intelligence Analyst. Her awards include the Air Force Achievement Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal.

Senior Master Sgt. Rodriguez resides in Rotterdam with her fiance Master Sgt. Matthew Winnie, a fellow member of the 109th Airlift Wing, and three daughters.

First Sergeant of the Year- Master Sgt. Sally Baker, a Rotterdam resident, won the title of 2022 First Sergeant of the Year.

Baker has been a member of the 109th Airlift Wing for more than 20 years and is the First Sergeant for the Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

As a First Sergeant she maintains discipline, standards, health and welfare of enlisted personnel. She ensures discipline is fair and equitable, and also provides counsel and assistance as needed.

Baker earned the distinction of First Sergeant of the Year by assisting members struggling with various health and financial issues, deploying to Greenland as First Sergeant, fostering morale and mentoring personnel.

Baker's awards include the Antarctica Service medal, Humanitarian Service medal, Air Force Achievement medal and the Air Force Commendation medal.

Baker is originally from Granville, New York and now resides in Rotterdam.

Company Grade Officer of the Year- Capt. Brittany Stackhouse, a Loudonville resident, won the title of 2022 Company Grade Officer of the Year.

Stackhouse has been a member of the 109th Airlift Wing since 2020 and is a flight nurse in the 139th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. She provides in-flight medical care for military, dependent, and civilian patients transiting the Aeromedical Evacuation system during operations in the United States and overseas. She was previously served on Active Duty as a Nurse with assignments at Travis Air Force Base, California and Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom.

Stackhouse earned the distinction of Company Grade Officer of the Year by filling in as Chief Nurse in her squadron, obtaining access to a critical medical database, and being named top graduate at flight nurse training.

Stackhouse's awards include the Air Force Achievement medal and the Air Force Commendation medal.

Capt. Stackhouse is originally from Hurricane, Utah and now resides in Loudonville with her wife, Lauren.

The winners will be honored at a ceremony later this year.

Photographs of these Airmen can be found on the New York National Guard FLCKR site here: