Air Force officials name Sijan award winners Published Jan. 20, 2010 Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- The Air Force recently recognized four Airmen with the service's 2009 Lance P. Sijan Air Force Leadership Award. The Sijan award annually recognizes Airmen who demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities. The senior officer category winner is Lt. Col. Roger A. Sherman, who is assigned to Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. While deployed as an electronic warfare officer, Colonel Sherman expertly led the 82nd Airborne Division's first electronic attack missions in Iraq against enemy command, as well as controlled and detected early warning networks that led to the prevention of five rocket attacks against coalition forces. He also developed the 3-73 Cavalry Squadrons targeting process, which resulted in the capture or killing of seven of the squadrons "Top 10" list and the seizure of dozens of weapon caches. The junior officer category winner is Capt. Rachel M. Phillips, who is assigned to Sembach Annex, Germany with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. Captain Phillips expertly developed, planned, and executed robust strategic-level counter-intelligence operations to neutralize hostile intelligence and terrorist groups. During her last deployment, Captain Phillips led more than 50 missions into hostile territory in Afghanistan, which resulted in the elimination of seven Taliban leaders from the battlefield. The senior enlisted category winner is Senior Master Sgt. Jesse D. Schraner, a vehicle ops superintendent assigned to Hurlburt Field, Fla. While deployed, he led 223 convoy missions in Iraq and Kuwait that safely transported 300,000 tons of supplies over four million miles, which provided war-making and life-giving material to 100,000 war-fighters. He also prevented battlefield complacency through hands-on leadership, which resulted in zero Airmen killed or wounded, despite 17 small arms insurgent attacks. The junior enlisted category winner is Staff Sgt. Gino P. Kahaunaele, who is assigned to Pope Air Force Base, N.C. As a special operations force pararescueman, Sergeant Kahaunaele's heroism and bravery in the midst of direct and accurate enemy fire resulted in eight American lives being saved. Additionally, Sergeant Kahaunaele led a combat search and rescue team through 45 combat sorties over the world's most hostile terrain. The Lance P. Sijan award was first given in 1981. It was named in honor of the first U.S. Air Force Academy graduate to receive the Medal of Honor. Captain Sijan was shot down over Vietnam on Nov. 9, 1967, and evaded capture for 45 days despite severe injuries. He later died while in a Vietnamese prisoner-of-war camp and was presented the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroism. The awards will be presented to this year's recipients at a later date.