Airmen of the Year named during annual NCO Association meeting Published June 24, 2008 By Sandy Ates Guard Detail Staff Writer JACKSON, Mississippi -- Every quarter Mississippi Air National Guard bases select its top performing Airman, NCO, and Senior NCO for the quarter. Then, at the end of the year, all quarterly winners are judged and three will become the year's cream of the crop for the year, Airman of the Year, NCO of the Year and Sr. NCO of the Year, and presentations made during the annual conference of the Mississippi National Guard Noncommissioned Officers Association Conference held in April. The Air National Guard also selects one individual Airman to receive the Charles L. Sullivan Leadership Award for their outstanding leadership abilities as enlisted personnel. Presenting awards to this year's winners was Maj. Gen. Harold A. Cross, the adjutant General of Mississippi, himself an officer of the U.S. Air Force and Mississippi Air National Guard for over 40 years. Winners were Staff Sgt. Erica D. Harper, Airman of the Year 2008; Staff Sgt. Jennifer D. Powell, NCO of the Year 2008; Master Sgt. Kevin L. Johnson, Senior NCO of the Year 2008; and Master Sgt. Robert S. Ellis, Jr., earned the Charles L. Sullivan Leadership Award for 2008, with his name added to the traveling plaque and kept at his base until a new winner is announced next year.