Fort Bliss Monitor

LULAC honors Texas Air National Guardsman

Sgt. Gregory N. Ripps
Texas Air National Guard

Tech Sgt. Ernest De La O Jr., Texas Air National Guard, pictured here during deployment to Iraq, was recognized recently by the League of United Latin American Citizens.

A noncommissioned officer here was recognized with the prestigious League of United Latin American Citizens’ Excellence in Military Service Award at LULAC’s 75th annual convention July 6 in San Antonio, Texas.

The NCO is Tech. Sgt. Ernest De La O Jr. of the Texas Air National Guard’s 204th Security Forces Squadron, based on Fort Bliss.

The LULAC award recognizes De La O’s military excellence during deployments to Uzbekistan (October 2001 through March 2002), Djbouti, the Horn of Africa (November 2002 through February 2003), Iquitos and Piura in Peru (August 2002), El Salvador (April and June 2002), and Tallil and Nasiriyah, Iraq (October 2003 through March 2004).

A native of Las Cruces, N.M., De La O was graduated from Las Cruces High School and has completed courses at the New Mexico State University and through the Community College of the Air Force toward a degree in criminal justice.

De La O served 11 years of active duty and joined the Air National Guard in September 1997. His list of decorations and awards includes the Army Commendation Medal, Army Valorous Unit Award, Combat Readiness Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and many others.

The De La O’s duties in El Salvador and Peru included training Salvadorans and Peruvians in air base security operations. At Camp Lemonier in Africa he provided air base security.

During his final assignment, in Iraq, De La O served as a heavy weapons gunner, performing both convoy protection and airport security.

“We responded to the Italian headquarters bombing in Nasiriyah by placing ourselves and our weapons near the front gate to provide entry control point security,” De La O said. “I remember lots of casualties and a few deaths.”

De La O, his wife Beverly and their two children reside in Las Cruces. He is not the first member of his family to serve in the military. His father, also a Las Cruces resident, served in the Navy as an aviation structural mechanic; some of his uncles served in the Army; and a cousin currently serves in the Marine Corps.
Lt. Col. Scott Elliott, 204th Security Forces Squadron commander, called the LULAC award “a very big deal and a huge honor.

“He is one of the best noncommissioned officers who ever worked for me,” Elliott said.



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	August 19, 2004

<map name="boxmap-b4"> <area shape="rect" coords="0, 589, 120, 600" href="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1" > <area coords="0,0,10000,10000" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=&creative=92501&camp=8117&link_code=dl1&path=subst/misc/amazon-cobrand-cc/v3/marketing-from-associates-step1.html/ref%3Db1_assoc_29" > </map>	LULAC honors Texas Air National Guardsman Sgt. Gregory N. Ripps Texas Air National Guard Tech Sgt. Ernest De La O Jr., Texas Air National Guard, pictured here during deployment to Iraq, was recognized recently by the League of United Latin American Citizens. A noncommissioned officer here was recognized with the prestigious League of United Latin American Citizens’ Excellence in Military Service Award at LULAC’s 75th annual convention July 6 in San Antonio, Texas. The NCO is Tech. Sgt. Ernest De La O Jr. of the Texas Air National Guard’s 204th Security Forces Squadron, based on Fort Bliss. The LULAC award recognizes De La O’s military excellence during deployments to Uzbekistan (October 2001 through March 2002), Djbouti, the Horn of Africa (November 2002 through February 2003), Iquitos and Piura in Peru (August 2002), El Salvador (April and June 2002), and Tallil and Nasiriyah, Iraq (October 2003 through March 2004). A native of Las Cruces, N.M., De La O was graduated from Las Cruces High School and has completed courses at the New Mexico State University and through the Community College of the Air Force toward a degree in criminal justice. De La O served 11 years of active duty and joined the Air National Guard in September 1997. His list of decorations and awards includes the Army Commendation Medal, Army Valorous Unit Award, Combat Readiness Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and many others. The De La O’s duties in El Salvador and Peru included training Salvadorans and Peruvians in air base security operations. At Camp Lemonier in Africa he provided air base security. During his final assignment, in Iraq, De La O served as a heavy weapons gunner, performing both convoy protection and airport security. “We responded to the Italian headquarters bombing in Nasiriyah by placing ourselves and our weapons near the front gate to provide entry control point security,” De La O said. “I remember lots of casualties and a few deaths.” De La O, his wife Beverly and their two children reside in Las Cruces. He is not the first member of his family to serve in the military. His father, also a Las Cruces resident, served in the Navy as an aviation structural mechanic; some of his uncles served in the Army; and a cousin currently serves in the Marine Corps. Lt. Col. Scott Elliott, 204th Security Forces Squadron commander, called the LULAC award “a very big deal and a huge honor. “He is one of the best noncommissioned officers who ever worked for me,” Elliott said.