Two Capital Region residents receive top Air Guard awards for air battle management skills

Master Sgt. Mark Weekes from Schenectady and Capt. Nicholas Guilbeault from Clifton Park are named best in their jobs by 107,000- member Air National Guard

Latham, NY (08/17/2023) — Two Capital Region residents assigned to the New York Air National Guard's Syracuse-based 152nd Air Operations Group have been recognized by the 107,000-member Air National Guard for their skills in air battle management.

Master Sgt. Mark Weekes, a Schenectady resident; and Capt. Nicholas Guilbeault, who lives in Clifton Park, were named as top Command and Control Battle Management Operators.

A third members of the group, Staff Sgt. Kelly Reynolds of Brewerton, was also recognized.

The 152nd Air Operations Group provides trained personnel to serve in the Air Force's European Air Operations Center in Ramstein, Germany. 152nd personnel have played a role in NATO air missions overwatching the war in Ukraine, as well as in Africa.

Command and control battle management operators are responsible for monitoring air operations and assisting commanders in carrying out Air Force missions.

Colonel Kevin St. John, the commander of the 152nd, said that winning the award "is a testament to our Citizen Airmen's readiness and capabilities. Each left their civilian life to step in and fulfill an operational need - and each excelled."

"What's most notable is it took little more than a plane ticket to have them go from your next-door neighbor to a front-line warfighter. I could not be prouder of them," St. John said.

While assigned to the Air Operations Center, Weekes served as an MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft enlisted liaison officer.

According to his citation, his knowledge was instrumental in enhancing military combat readiness. He coordinated flight clearances in sensitive areas without escalating an already tense environment across two combat regions.

Weekes played a crucial role in diverting MQ-9s after a volcanic eruption. His actions directly prevented the loss of multiple aircraft, protected critical equipment from damage, and prevented the loss of sensitive information, according to his citation.

Weekes' contributions were essential to ensuring the safety of personnel and the successful execution of military operations. He leveraged his expertise to facilitate mission coordination and ensure smooth operations, according to the award.

Weekes also collaborated with other liaison officers to facilitate Air Mobility Command's logistical requirements to orchestrate the movements of munitions. This bolstered the military's ability to effectively respond to challenges and protect the country's interests.

Guilbeault was recognized for supporting NATO's Allied Air Command Headquarters during the conflict in Ukraine while serving as a joint interface control officer.

During this time, he accepted the critical responsibility of facilitating and disseminating crucial information among several NATO countries, according to his citation.

He skillfully integrated data from these countries into one complete, real-time picture of the current operating environment, which he shared with joint command and control decision makers and allied nations, the commendation says.

His effective communication skills enabled the successful execution of hundreds of fighter, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft missions.

Additionally, due to his vital capabilities and technical expertise, Guilbeault was handpicked to support the Air Force Research Lab in experimentation and integration of artificial intelligence for machine learning, the award says.

He was also selected by Experimental Tactical Operations Center-Light for two named exercises to test vital communication and data links for a developing agile combat environment, his award says.

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