Staff Sgt. Edward Pugh has been named the Air National Guard's Outstanding Honor Guard Member for 2019.

A New York Air National Guardsman stationed at the Eastern Air Defense Sector, Pugh is a tracking technician instructor with the 224th Air Defense Squadron. He received the award for his selfless volunteer service as an Honor Guard member. Pugh participated in 10 military funerals and 27 color guard details last year, which included three Syracuse University basketball games, a joint service honor guard at New York State Fair, and a flag retirement ceremony for the Rome Memorial Day Association. Pugh also placed more than 900 wreaths on veterans' graves at a local cemetery and directed an elementary school Flag Day ceremony that was attended by more than 400 students.

Pugh, who was named the New York Air National Guard Honor Guard Member of the Year in January, will now go on to compete for the overall Air Force Honor Guard award.

The 224th Air Defense Squadron and the 224th Support Squadron make up the 224th Air Defense Group (ADG), a New York Air National Guard unit located in Rome. The 224th ADG, which also has two detachments in the Washington, D.C. area, provides the forces to conduct the Eastern Air Defense Sector's (EADS) mission. Part of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the Sector is responsible for the air defense of the eastern U.S.

For more information about the New York Air National Guard, visit www.dmna.ny.gov. For more information on the Eastern Air Defense Sector and the 224th Air Defense Group, visit www.eads.ang.af.mil. ###