News

446th Reserve Citizen Airman named Reserve JAG of the Year

  • Published
  • By Mr. Edzel Butac
  • 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

Lt. Col. Hanna Yang, 446th Airlift Wing’s Judge Advocate General (JAG), wins 2019 Harmon Award, announced Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Rockwell, Air Force Judge Advocate General, May 7.

The Harmon Award, known as Reserve JAG of the Year award, recognizes the most outstanding Air Reserve Component JAG officer, in the grade of lieutenant colonel or below, based on training accomplishments or contribution to mission support, exhibition of leadership in the military or civilian community, and enrollment in off-duty programs of professional self-improvement.

“Lt. Col. Yang led her legal office team to success, receiving a Superior Team Award from the 2019 Unit Effectiveness Inspection as well as accolades from the Article Six legal office inspection,” said Col. Paul Skipworth, 446th AW commander. “In the end, she quietly spent hours writing award packages for her team members and turned them in without seeking any recognition for herself. It took some convincing to get her to provide inputs for her own award nomination. I am incredibly pleased to see her efforts and leadership recognized at the Air Force level.”

In addition to her 446th accomplishments, Yang also deployed to Iraq as the JAG for an Air Force unit supporting Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve.

In a congratulatory email to Yang and other award recipients, Rockwell wrote, “In each of your respective categories, you shined. You shined with innovation, core values, and leadership marking your service and dedication to your missions. The core common thread through it all was your ability to form and lead a team.” He added that he was confident their responses to receiving the awards would have been, “it was the team, not me.”

“I attribute this honor to God, for carrying me through what felt like many insurmountable challenges in 2019,” Yang said. “He provided amazing Wingmen - family, friends, colleagues, teammates, supervisors, and commanders - to walk alongside me, encourage me, inspire me, and help me face and overcome these challenges.”

The Harmon Award is named after Major General Reginald C. Harmon, who served as the first Judge Advocate General of the Air Force in 1948. He was also elected mayor of Urbana, Illinois as a 29-year-old from 1929 to 1933.