Patriot of the Year 2023 – 2024 – Colonel Lola D. Washington
Colonel Lola D. Washington is the Commander of 108th Mission Support Group, 108th Wing, New Jersey Air National Guard, Joint Base McGuire Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
As Commander, she is responsible for organizing, training, and equipping nearly 600 Drill Status Guardsmen and civilians assigned to the Group. The 108th Mission Support Group is made up of four Squadrons and two Flights including the Logistics Readiness Squadron, Civil Engineer Squadron, Force Support Squadron, Security Forces Squadron, Communications Flight, and Contracting Flight. She directs and manages all Mission Support programs, all infrastructure operations to include tenant organizations and assigned geographically separated units. She manages operations to include Civil Engineering, Emergency Management (Disaster Preparedness), Environmental Management, Personnel, Command & Control, Communications and Computer systems, Logistics Plans, Installation Deployment, Programs and Readiness, Base Supply, Transportation, Vehicle Maintenance, Contracting, Security Forces, Base Services, Fuels Management, Aerial Port Operations, Family Support, and all other support base functions.
Prior to assuming her current position, Colonel Washington served as the Chief of the Joint Staff for the New Jersey Air and Army National Guard, Joint Operations Center, Homeland Security Center of Excellence, Lawrenceville, New Jersey. Colonel Washington served as a primary staff advisor and assisted the New Jersey National Guard (NJNG) Director of the Joint Staff and The Adjutant General-NJ (TAG-NJ) regarding all phases of work of the Joint Staff and joint military program operations throughout the state. She oversaw and managed a variety of programs that include the development, execution and evaluation of programs and policies pertaining to the command, control, operations, and management of the Joint Functions. She oversaw the state’s Homeland Defense Program including New Jersey Counterdrug Program and Civil Support Team. She coordinated unified actions and outcomes in response to interagency or intergovernmental requests for operations involving natural or man-made disasters, terrorism, Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), critical asset protection, border security, civil disturbances, interstate compacts and federal mobilizations and deployments. After serving ten years as an enlisted Hospital Corpsman in the United States Naval Reserves, she enlisted in the Cheyenne Wyoming Air National Guard (WYANG) as a Medical Technician and later cross-trained into the personnel career field. Colonel Washington was commissioned through the Academy of Military Science in March of 2000.
Patriot of the Year 2022 – 2023 – Brigadier General Robert S. Dutko Sr. (retired)
FN Rich Gavila presenting Brigadier General Dutko with the Patriot of the Year 2023-2024
Patriot of the Year 2021 – 2022 – Mr. Bryan Branson
Patriot of the Year 2020 – 2021 – No award given
Patriot of the Year 2019 – 2020 – No award given
Patriot of the Year 2018 – 2019 – Bill Eger
