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Seven Army National Guard officers were recognized during the 2026 General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Awards ceremony Aug. 12 at Conmy Hall on Fort Myer, Virginia.
The MacArthur Leadership Award program was introduced in 1987 to recognize company-grade and junior warrant officers who demonstrate MacArthur’s ideals of “Duty, Honor, Country,” and have a proven record of extraordinary performance, leadership and achievement.
The annual award honors the legacy of Gen. Douglas MacArthur across the active Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve.
“These amazing leaders awarded here today represent the finest of the Army National Guard team,” said Maj. Gen. Dan Degelow, the National Guard assistant for the director of the Army National Guard staff (chief of staff).
“As we prepare for the complex challenges of tomorrow, it is exceptional company-grade and warrant officers, as we see here today, who are driving our readiness at the tactical level and ensuring our Soldiers are prepared to fight and win.”
Those honored were:
- Capt. Emilie A. Anderson (Oregon)
- Capt. Jesse Hernandez (Oklahoma)
- Capt. Zachary W. Johnson (Ohio)
- Capt. Timothy A. Klase (Utah)
- Capt. Sean M. Lough (Kentucky)
- Chief Warrant Officer 2 David S. Palmer (Alabama)
- Capt. Amanda S. Tang (North Dakota)
Only Anderson, Johnson, Lough and Tang were able to attend the ceremony.
The recipients present largely viewed the national recognition as a reflection of the teams they lead and the mentorship they have received along the way.
“Personally, to me, receiving the award just means that I have taken pride in my job and taking care of Soldiers,” said Tang, a member of North Dakota’s 141st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade.
She noted that mutual trust is critical for unit success.
“When I was in company command, I always wanted my Soldiers to know that I had their backs,” Tang said. “So, if I gave them the leeway to do their job, they were able to take care of me.”
Johnson, a member of Ohio’s B Company, 3rd Battalion (General Support), 238th Aviation Regiment, echoed Tang’s sentiment, crediting his senior enlisted advisors and technical experts for his success.
“I’ve been mentored and coached by a lot of senior NCOs and warrant officers and being able to lean on their expertise to make the decisions that we need to at our leadership levels,” Johnson said.
Selections for the MacArthur Leadership Award are based on a leader’s overall performance, their positive influence on the Soldiers they lead and their daily embodiment of the Army's core values.
The distinction highlights the critical role company-grade and warrant officers play in maintaining unit readiness, morale and operational effectiveness.
For Lough, a member of Kentucky’s B Company, 2nd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 147th Aviation Regiment, a people-first approach means learning from every level of the chain of command, from senior leaders down to the newest privates.
"I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for the Soldiers and leaders around me,” Lough said. “Take care of your troops, and they’ll take care of you.”
Only a select group of officers are chosen each year from across the entire U.S. Army to receive this high honor, representing the Army’s top tier of junior military leadership.
—Reported by Tom Wheeler
National Guard Bureau
