The Connection

The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce celebrated and recognized first responders serving in Fairfax County who went above and beyond the call of duty at the 44th Annual Valor Awards held on Thursday, March 31, at the Hyatt Regency Reston. 

Courage and bravery are the norms of first responders in Fairfax County, whether serving with the County Police or Fire and Rescue Departments, the Sheriff's Office, the Town of Herndon, and the Town of Vienna Police Departments, or the Virginia State Police.

Valor is more than bravery or courage. It goes beyond what is expected. 

"The Valor Awards is a reminder of our local community's respect and appreciation for those who create a safe environment for all of us to live, work, and play," said Charles Kapur, president, and CEO of the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, the host organization for the event. "We are thrilled to have been able to resume the Fairfax Valor Awards as a live, in-person event for the first time since 2019. We are equally humbled by the amazing turnout from our community for this important event."

More than 600 attendees, including family members of awardees, elected officials, business leaders, and others, came together to celebrate the valor of public safety professionals. Those honored stepped onto the stage and received awards for their impressive service achievements. There were 290 awards presented. 

Sponsors: Miller Musmar CPAs, Visit Fairfax, INOVA Fair Oaks, Transurban, Dominion Energy, John Marshall Bank, Northwest Federal Credit Union, Reston Hospital Center, Fairfax Public Access, Speed Pro Imaging, and Sweet Memories Photography.

Photo by Sweet Memories Photography

Posting of the Colors at the 44th Annual Fairfax County Valor Awards

 

2022 VALOR AWARD WINNERS
GOLD AWARD MEDAL OF VALOR

Major Eli Cory, Major Dalton K. Becker, Sergeant Ali Sepehri, Captain Ryan W. Morgan, Captain Wilson W. Lee, Second Lieutenant Christopher L. Crawford, Sergeant Kendall J. Jones, Master Police Officer Paul J. Woods, Police Officer First Class Enoch J. Green, Police Officer First Class Nicholas J. Kirsch, Police Officer First Class Jacob B. Gibson, Police Officer First Class Christopher M. Lincoln, Second Lieutenant Gordon P. Sloan, Sergeant Sameer A. Khan, Captain Brendan D. Hooke, Second Lieutenant Anthony C. Lampe, Police Officer First Class John A. Daugherty, Detective Sergio J. Andrade, Detective Jonathan M. Lung, Detective Stacey L. Wells, Second Lieutenant Richard L. Cash, Police Officer First Class Steven J. Malloch, Police Officer First Class Brian P. Donoghue, Police Officer First Class Roberto Castillo, Second Lieutenant John T. Bryant, Master Police Officer Mark D. Gleason, Second Lieutenant James A. Tanler, Master Police Officer Joseph H. Poirier, Police Officer First Class Thomas W. Champ, Police Officer First Class Michael D. Gunstrom, Master Police Officer Jonathan E. Loesch, Master Police Officer Sean P. McGlone, Police Officer First Class Michael S. Tokarski, Police Officer First Class Joseph S. Hensley, Police Officer First Class James E. Jones, Police Officer First Class Eugenia Metzger, Police Officer First Class Joelah R. Bruccoleri, Sergeant Brandon G. Grayson, Police Officer First Class Steven G. Monahan, Police Officer First Class Matthew B. Halvordson, Police Officer First Class Lane M. Leisey, Police Officer First Class Eric Acevedo, Second Lieutenant Andrew C. Wright, Police Officer First Class Jacob A. Meighen and Second Lieutenant Edward S. Rediske

SILVER AWARD MEDAL OF VALOR

Sergeant John J. Donohue, Officer Austin J. Rustick, Second Lieutenant Michael Crutchman, Police Officer First Class Dale A. Drewry, Police Officer First Class Christopher W. Duzen, Police Officer First Class Michael D. Gunstrom, Police Officer First Class Thomas D. Todd, Police Officer First Class Ricardo D. Umanzor, Police Officer First Class Gregory D. Eltringham, Police Officer First Class Jonathan D. Lowery & K9 Copper, Sergeant Kent G. Bailey, Second Lieutenant John S. Turner

and Police Officer First Class Trevor W. Jenkins

BRONZE AWARD MEDAL OF VALOR

Master Police Officer Mario F. Colorado, Officer Luke A. Mundt, Master Deputy Sheriff Nicholas Barb, Private First Class Angel G. Romero, Second Lieutenant Christopher L. Crawford, Police Officer First Class Christopher M. Lincoln, Police Officer First Class Karl W. Mohn, Master Police Officer Jose R. Morillo, and Police Officer First Class Kyle L. Albert

CERTIFICATE OF VALOR

FAIRFAX COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT: Officer Peter J. Marra, Police Officer First Class Kevin J. Bonanno, Police Officer First Class Nathan C. Updike, Police Officer First Class Christopher G. Walczyk, Police Officer First Class Victoria E. Bosch, Police Officer First Class Avery E. Brunk, Police Officer First Class Darrell L. Haley, Police Officer First Class Matthew F. Schafer, Police Officer First Class Devin T. White, Second Lieutenant Quang D. Bui, Police Officer First Class Leslie G. Schmitt, Police Officer First Class Christopher A. Godfrey, Police Officer First Class Justin M. Robson, Police Officer First Class Mark S. Greatheart, Police Officer First Class Victoria E. Bosch, Police Officer First Class Kyle T. Bork, Police Officer First Class Jose R. Morillo, Police Officer First Class Jared A. Reeves, Sergeant Michael A. Comer, Police Officer First Class Michael T. Rowe, Police Officer First Class Katelynn Bullock, Police Officer First Class Ryan P. Hirsch, Police Officer First Class Cassandra Zamora, Second Lieutenant Sharon L. Perry, Police Officer First Class Stephen D. Sykes, Police Officer First Class Darrell L. Haley, Police Officer First Class Brooks R. Gillingham, Police Officer First Class Ashley M. Block, Police Officer First Class Gregory J. Salino, Police Officer First Class Joseph G. Schlenz, Detective Courtney K. Young, Detective Jessica L. Digirolamo, Master Police Officer Christopher W. Munson, Police Officer First Class Matthew D. Siragusa, Second Lieutenant Michael D. Mittiga, Police Officer First Class Amanda Wallace Petty, Police Officer First Class Christopher W. Duzen, Master Police Officer Pamela D. Williams, Police Officer First Class Alyson R. Russo, Sergeant Michael A. Comer, Second Lieutenant Jonathan D. Nytes, Sergeant Michael A. Lentz, Lieutenant Christopher D. Sharp & K9 Jack, Sergeant Aaron M. Pfeiff, Police Officer First Class Dustin G. Granofsky & K9 Lennie, Second Lieutenant Todd B. Sweeney, Lieutenant Eric T. Ivancic, Master Police Officer Eugene D. Cooper & K9 Indy, Master Animal Protection Police Officer Enna J. Lugo, Chaplain Michael A. Shochet, Chaplain Ike Hendershot, Sergeant Kent G. Bailey, Master Police Officer Victor Cruz, Police Officer First Class Kathleen E. O’Leary, Second Lieutenant Michael Crutchman, Master Police Officer Steven W. Faett, Police Officer First Class Michael R. Gibbons, Master Police Officer Michael Gibbons, Police Officer First Class James L. Thur, Pilot Garrett G. Wymer, Officer Selah J. Rash, Police Officer First Class Thomas J. Murphy Jr., Police Officer First Class James P. Rattal, Police Officer First Class Pierre L. Bidja Abossolo, Officer Fady R. Zaki, Second Lieutenant Matthew W. Luik, Sergeant Michael J. Boyle, Master Police Officer Eric W. Crago, Master Police Officer Brian S. Walley, Master Police Officer Michael S. Morris, Police Officer First Class Carolina M. Oliver, Police Officer First Class Michael T. Leung, Police Officer First Class Ryan C. Quarto, Police Officer First Class Michael J. DiLuccio, Master Police Officer Richard T. Cruger, Master Police Officer John A. DiGiulian, Master Police Officer Lance T. Guckenberger, Sergeant John D. Sykes, Police Officer First Class Joshua M. Moser, Master Police Officer William A. Williamson, Sergeant David J. Faulk, Master Police Officer Paul G. DeHaven, Master Police Officer Tammy L. Russell, Police Officer First Class Eric Acevedo, Police Officer First Class Nicholas D. Taormina, Police Officer First Class Morgan N. Blumer, Master Police Officer Steven L. Carroll, Police Officer First Class Vincent J. Pullicino, Dr. Craig DeAtley, Second Lieutenant William M. Arnest, Police Officer First Class Aaron C. Anderson, Second Lieutenant Shannon W. Massey, Police Officer First Class Laura K. Mahr, Police Officer First Class Jeffrey D. Carroll, Master Police Officer Sean P. McGlone, Police Officer First Class Katlin H. Wood, Police Officer First Class Kyle (William) Hauptman, Police Officer First Class Timothy J. Wilson, Second Lieutenant Bradley F. Metz, Police Officer First Class Nathan L. Musser, Police Officer First Class Benjamin D. Weaver, Police Officer First Class Jose R. Morillo, Police Officer First Class Huy N. LeBang, Police Officer First Class Bayron E. Reneau Gudiel, Police Officer First Class Kevin A. Rosa, Officer Selah J. Rash, Second Lieutenant Edward S. Rediske, Sergeant Timothy B. Schilling, Police Officer First Class David A. Neil, Police Officer First Class Matthew D. Rosenberg, Police Officer First Class Ricardo D. Umanzor, Police Officer First Class Jake E. Everett, Police Officer First Class Rachel E. Rohr, Police Officer First Class Kyle W. Suter, Police Officer First Class Tyler C. Welch, Police Officer First Class Michael C. Schmeltz, Sergeant Keith W. Shook, Police Officer First Class Jacob A. Pearce, Sergeant Gregory J. Salino, Police Officer First Class Timothy J. Wilson, and Officer Tomas D. Miranda Otero

FAIRFAX COUNTY FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENT: Captain Jack Macinyak, Master Technician Peter Torres, Technician Joseph Shipman

FAIRFAX COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: Private First Class Morgan Walker, Private First Class Joseph McKenna

HERNDON POLICE DEPARTMENT: Officer Kelyn Diaz

VIRGINIA STATE POLICE: Trooper Joseph Lowe, Trooper Matthew Spalding

LIFESAVING AWARD
FAIRFAX COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT: Officer Abdulla B. Al Baiati, Second Lieutenant Jennifer A. Basham, Second Lieutenant Bradley P. Woehrlen, Master Police Officer Mark W. Mills, Police Officer First Class Andrew J. McPherson, Police Officer First Class Joseph S. Hensley, Police Officer First Class John R. Bell, Police Officer First Class Kyle T. Bork, Police Officer First Class Chase T. Briggs, Officer Thomas L. Dean, Police Officer First Class Jacob A. Jackson, Police Officer First Class Vincent M. Escobar, Sergeant Rafael R. Fortiz, Master Police Officer Steven E. Atkins, Police Officer First Class John R. Goodspeed, Police Officer First Class Mark S. Greatheart, Master Police Officer Craig J. Guyton, Police Officer First Class Alan A. Hanks, Police Officer First Class Ryan D. Wever, Police Officer First Class Lindsey M. Memenza, Police Officer First Class Melanie D. Todd, Police Officer First Class Daniel A. Houtz, Master Police Officer Eric L. Harte, Pilot Matthew P. Hobbs, Police Officer First Class Nathan R. Van Husen, Police Officer First Class Morgan N. Blumer, Police Officer First Class Geoff S. Carrigan, Officer Casey J. Hughes, Police Officer First Class Huy N. Lebang, Master Police Officer Brian A. Buckholtz, Police Officer First Class Vincent P. Vella, Master Police Officer Thomas W. Eggers, Master Police Officer Gregory S. Moss, Police Officer First Class Gershon L. Ramirez, and Lieutenant Kevin J. Shaw

FAIRFAX COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY: Dispatcher Kelly Henry, Call Taker Drew A. Hergen, and Call Taker Elizabeth Valcourt

FAIRFAX COUNTY FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENT: Master Technician Brian A. Bonifas, Lieutenant Vitor Rocha, Firefighter Carlton Yancey, Master Technician Ian M. Kelly, and Technician Jacob Hartka

FAIRFAX COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: Sergeant Thomas Boyden, Second Lieutenant Marcus Medina, Master Deputy Sheriff Aaron Waple, Private First Class Carlos Guevara, Private First Class Joseph Moratto, Private First Class Bryan Redd, Private First Class Michael Woloschek, Dr. Janet Wurie, CHN I Selome Abebe, CHN I Phidol Conteh, CHN I Betty Edwards, CHN III Christine Kent, CHN I Sophia McGill, CHN I Jacky Mukuna, CHN II Samuel Osafo, CHN I Hyunjung Park, Sergeant Daniel Robles, Master Deputy Sheriff Mario Torres, Private First Class Carlos Guevara, CHN II Samuel Osafo, CHN I Meskerem Atommsa, CHN I Henrietta Dedo, Sergeant George Shammas, Private First Class Hunter Daugherty, Private First Class Brenden Yunger, Private First Class Dawit Arboleda, and  CHN III Charles Antwi