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Lt. Col. Eric “Rebel” Emerson, a fighter squadron commander with the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 177th Fighter Wing, received the 2024 Lt. Col. Anthony C. Shine Award at a ceremony last week at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.
Emerson is the first Air Guard pilot to earn the honor.
The Shine Award, established in 1980, honors the legacy of Lt. Col. Anthony C. Shine, a Vietnam War fighter pilot who went missing in action in 1972.
It recognizes one outstanding Air Force fighter pilot in the rank of major or below (Emerson was nominated when he was a Major) for “superior leadership qualities, exceptional flying proficiency and community involvement.”
“It always feels special to be a ‘first,’ but more importantly, it highlights the hard-working men and women of the Air National Guard and their contributions to the fight,” Emerson said. “Without these amazing Airmen, nothing we do in the air would be possible. I dedicate this award to the men and women of the 177th Fighter Wing.”
Air Combat Command oversees the Shine award, selecting the top representative each year among the best of active duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve fighter pilots.
Shine’s daughter, Colleen, was in high school when her father went missing. She would eventually be instrumental in helping to find her father’s remains — leading to his burial in Arlington National Cemetery.
She would also become an advocate for the remaining 1,566 Americans who are still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.
“Rebel, your outstanding service in flying, teaching and leading is a reminder of all that is right about today’s Air Force.” Colleen said. “You are a sterling example for the caliber of character and excellence in flying my father stood for.”
According to the award citation, Emerson earned the honor for an “exceptional year” as an F-16 instructor pilot and squadron commander. The citation highlights his leadership during a “no-notice” mission that rapidly mobilized more than 50 personnel and six aircraft, generating over 200 combat hours in support of coalition forces in the Red Sea.
Additionally, he directed aircraft and personnel movements across multiple countries while maintaining continuous alert operations, guided pilot upgrade training, and supported homeland defense missions — ensuring combat-ready Airmen and aircraft remained prepared to respond at a moment’s notice.
Beyond operational excellence, Emerson volunteered hundreds of hours as a youth basketball coach and mentor and played a key role in organizing community outreach initiatives, including food distribution efforts supporting more than 1,000 families.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Duke Pirak, acting director of the Air National Guard, said that while maintaining a warfighter ethos as part of the world’s foremost air power is paramount, it’s what leaders “do on Earth that matters.”
—By Master Sgt. Erich B. Smith,
National Guard Bureau
