SYRACUSE, N.Y. (Tribune News Service) — Senior Master Sgt. Tricia Shiver, of the Syracuse-based 174th Attack Wing, has been named First Sergeant of the Year. A resident of Canastota, she was named the First Sergeant of the Year for the 5,900-member New York Air National Guard.

Shiver serves in the 174th Attack Wing’s 138th Attack Squadron, which flies the MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft on missions around the world from a command station at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse.

As a first sergeant, she is expected to be an expert on all airman readiness issues and a problem solver for health, morale, welfare and quality of life issues within the squadron. She is the key enlisted advisor to the squadron commander on these matters and works directly with airmen on their professional development and leadership skills.

Shiver entered the U.S. Air Force in 2004 and served as an aerospace ground equipment specialist. She deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan three times over the next eight years while stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas.

In 2012 she transferred to the MQ-9 program and served as a sensor operator. The MQ-9 sensor operator is responsible for controlling the multi-million dollar cameras and other equipment, which allow the aircraft to track people and equipment on the ground.

In 2013, she transferred to the RQ-170 program and served as evaluator, and operations superintendent, conducting operational tests and evaluations. She also deployed once again in support of combat operations.

Shiver joined the 174th Attack Wing in 2019, and served as the noncommissioned officer in charge of training for the 138th Attack Squadron before becoming first sergeant.

Shiver’s awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Air Force Achievement Medal.

She was also the 2016 Distinguished Graduate at the Air Force Noncommissioned Officer Academy.

Shiver was selected by the New York Air National Guard State Command Chief to attend the new Senior Non-Commission Senior Enlisted Course, and has been invited back to serve as a course facilitator.

She also coaches a location t-ball team and assisted with the wing suicide prevention efforts and facilitated the wing officer development course.

Shiver will now compete against airmen in the 53 other Air National Guards to see who is picked as the best airman in the Air National Guard of the United States.

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