Staff Sgt. Gary Gillespie of Rome is the North American Aerospace Defense Command's Outstanding Junior Enlisted Airman for 2019.

A New York Air National Guardsmen stationed at the Eastern Air Defense Sector, Gillespie is an intelligence analyst with the 224th Air Defense Squadron (ADS). He received the NORAD award for his outstanding training and instruction contributions and his work on the unit's cyber intelligence team. The NORAD award also recognized Gillespie's superb performance during four major NORAD and U.S. Northern Command exercises and his volunteer efforts in the community.

This is the third Outstanding Airman award Gillespie has won this year. He received the Continental NORAD Region-1st Air Force award in March and EADS' Outstanding Airman award in January.

The 224th ADG is composed of the 224th Air Defense Squadron and 224th Support Squadron, located in Rome, and Detachment 1 and Detachment 2 that serve in the Washington, D.C. area. The 224th ADG 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. ###