Pleasantville resident Security Forces First Sergeant, Master Sgt. Daniel T. Mitchell Jr., 177th Fighter Wing, New Jersey Air National Guard, was chosen as the top Air National Guard First Sergeant in the United States by the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D.C., last week.

     “The award is an honor – not for me, but for the Airmen I work with at the 177th Fighter Wing and the active-duty Airmen I served with in Afghanistan,” said Mitchell.  “The professional Airmen in today's Air Force made my job easy.”

     After competing against his Air National Guard counterparts from the 54 states and territories, Mitchell will now go on to contend against the active-duty Air Force first sergeants in the United States Air Force 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year competition.  The Air Force will announce its decision this summer.

     This is on top of his recent award in the 2007 Overall Annual Awards – 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern/Continental United States NORAD [North American Aerospace Defense] Command Region) First Sergeant Category, as well as receiving the Meritorious Service Medal, first oak leaf cluster, from Governor Jon S. Corzine and Maj. Gen. Glenn K. Rieth, the Adjutant General of New Jersey.

     While his awards package lists his accomplishments with adjectives such as “Tireless efforts,” “Selfless attitude,” “Visionary,” “Best of the best,” and “#1 of all previous First Sergeants by two squadron commanders,” these words do not begin to describe the journey Mitchell has endured to reach this level.

     During his four-month tour in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as First Sergeant for the 755th Expeditionary Support Squadron, Defense Reform Directorate, Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan, Mitchell provided leadership, management, and expertise to the more than 450 Airmen assigned to 29 Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) that were either mentoring the fledgling Afghanistan National Army's Logistics, Communications, and Medical Commands, or assigned to the United States Army as brigade support team personnel.  He aided in the development of a professional military education program used by U.S. to mentor Afghan National Army officers and enlisted personnel.

     While deployed, Mitchell traveled more than 1,300 miles on roads laden with improvised explosive devices to visit the FOBs to ensure the safe utilization of Airmen in the combat zone. He developed a security augmentee program, which mitigated the hazards faced by 48 Airmen tasked with base perimeter defense duty.  He worked successfully on significantly improving the morale and mission accomplishments in all the FOBs.  Mitchell worked with the base commander's support staff in creating a database for tracking leave, passes, and officer and enlisted performance reports, resulting in an on-time report rate rising from 80 percent to 95 percent.

     “This is a team effort,” said Mitchell.

     Even on his off-duty time Mitchell was hard at work. He served on the Camp Phoenix Morale, Welfare and Recreation Committee, which oversaw the activities of more than 3,000 Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and coalition force members.  Mitchell also completed six college credit hours while in Afghanistan.

     Upon his return to the 177th, he was the first choice by wing and state headquarters military leadership to attend the Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Academy earlier this year.  Mitchell was also selected to lead a New Jersey team to improve the processes aiding Airmen in reintegration and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder recognition and treatment.