STEWART AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.Y -- Senior Airman Eric Santiago, a radar, airfield and weather systems technician with the New York Air National Guard’s 213th Engineering Installation Squadron, was named Installer of the Year for 2025.
Santiago enlisted in the NYANG in May 2023. After graduating college and building a career as a Bronx police officer for 8-and-a-half-years, he said he began seeking a change of scenery and an opportunity to serve. Santiago added he had long considered military service but wanted to wait until the timing felt right.
“I was happy when I finally pulled the trigger and joined,” Santiago said.
His police academy experience, with its long hours and physical demands, helped ease his transition into military service at age 28, he said.
The physical stamina and problem-solving skills he developed in law enforcement translate directly to the 213th EIS, where technicians climb towers, work in confined underground spaces and deploy globally to support critical communications infrastructure.
But not everything came easy. Tower climbing, essential for much of the squadron’s work, initially felt daunting. With the help of strict safety protocols, it became manageable even during challenging weather. Over time, the repetition turned what once seemed intimidating into routine, Santiago said.
In his role, Santiago performs installation, maintenance and repair of air traffic control, ground radar and weather systems that support safe flight operations in the National Airspace System and provide critical meteorological data.
Serving in the ANG has also rekindled the sense of purpose he felt early in his law enforcement career.
“Throwing on this uniform reactivated a sense of pride and meaning for me,” Santiago said.
That renewed sense of purpose drove strong performance and earned him Installer of the Year for 2025 with the 213th.
“Airman Santiago tackles all assignments with a level of proactive engagement that pushes mission success. His infectious optimism makes him a vital asset to any team or endeavor,” said Master Sgt. Godwin Chery, Santiago’s supervisor and flight manager in the 213th.
His early successes quickly built skills and confidence, leading to increasingly challenging opportunities.
One of those opportunities was a memorable project in Oregon. There, he worked alongside Airmen from multiple squadrons and states on a radio-related effort with MIT Lincoln Laboratory. Santiago called it especially rewarding for the valuable hands-on experience and the opportunity to network and collaborate with other Airmen in the same career field from across the country.
That experience helped lead to his current position with the Digital Infrastructure Fielding Flight in the 213th, conducting site surveys and infrastructure work at military bases across the country.
Santiago credits the strong leadership and supportive culture in the 213th for much of his rapid growth and success. He sees future opportunities in the ANG, including the possibility of commissioning, and remains open to wherever the mission takes him.
Santiago encourages others to consider the 213th, calling it a great squadron that allows Airmen to meet outstanding people from across the country while serving the nation.