Hill sergeant receives $1,000 award in national essay scholarship contest

  • Published
  • By Anne Morrison
  • Hilltop Times Staff
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah --  Recently, a Hill staff sergeant won a $1,000 scholarship from the Air Force Clubs scholarship program for an essay he wrote on his contributions to the Air Force. His entry was one of 25 chosen from across the Air Force in the 15th annual scholarships contest.

Staff Sgt. Anthony Diamond plans to use the scholarship to help fund his master's degree he is currently pursuing in homeland security through the American Military University. With the degree, Diamond said he hopes to excel in his Air Force career and eventually make the rank of chief.

In his essay, Diamond wrote about experiences with leadership he had when first joining the Air Force and how those have shaped his outlook. He also spoke about his experiences helping out at an orphanage while on a short-tour in Korea, saying he hoped to make a lasting impression on the children he and his fellow Airmen went to visit. The visits, Diamond states in his essay, he hopes would aide in strengthening ties between Korea and the U.S.

As the now former Hill 5/6 (E-5/E-6 enlisted organization) president, he talked about the turnaround of the organization from "what was once a debunked professional organization with less than five members at monthly meetings, to averaging 25 members per meeting." Diamond also started what he hopes to be an annual fitness challenge named the Hill 5/6 Warrior Challenge. Despite no longer serving in an executive role in Hill 5/6, he stated he will still be involved with the organization.

Diamond is now a flight instructor at the Airman Leadership School and hopes to raise up leaders within the Air Force. "A big reason why I took this job is because I saw leaders not taking care of their subordinates," said Diamond. He hopes his students will learn the qualities his leaders have taught him, and in turn, pass that along to those they become in charge of.

To view the winning essays, visit http://www.afclubs.net/CN_Scholarship.htm.