Santa Clarita Deputy Is Top Airman

A veteran Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy has been named the top noncommissioned officer of 1997 for the Air National Guard in all 50 states.

Deputy Artie Thompson, 41, who for two decades has devoted at least one weekend a month plus 15 other days per year to service with the Air National Guard, received the honor last week at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Earlier this year, Thompson was named the California Air National Guard’s 1997 noncommissioned officer of the year.

“I’ve been very blessed. Right now I’m on top of the world,” said Thompson, who has worked as a sheriff’s deputy for 15 years, the last nine in Santa Clarita, where he lives.

As a staff sergeant assigned to the Guard’s 146th Maintenance Squadron at the Channel Islands Base in Point Mugu, Thompson works on ground equipment for C-130 transport planes.

Guard officials cited Thompson’s outstanding work as a sergeant as well as his participation in the Special Olympics Torch Run and his efforts as chairman of the Santa Clarita chapter of the American Diabetes Assn. as factors in his selection as Airman of the Year. Thompson was also credited with helping save the life of a fellow Guardsman who suffered a seizure while on duty last year.

Despite the long odds, Thompson’s honor came as little surprise to his superior, Senior Master Sgt. Reid Allen.

“This was a culmination of all that he has achieved during his years with the Air National Guard,” Allen said. “Artie is a leader. He sees something that needs to be done and he picks up the ball and runs with it. I wish I had a whole squadron of Artie Thompsons.”