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Tennessee Air Guard Member to receive National Award

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Robin Olsen
  • 164 AW
NASHVILLE --  A resident of Nashville and member of the Tennessee Air National Guard's 164th Airlift Wing in Memphis will be recognized June 19 as the Air National Guard Dental Officer of the Year. The ceremony is set for June 19 at the Readiness Frontiers Awards Banquet in Minneapolis.

Lt. Col. Suzanne Hayes, of the 164th AW Medical Group, also serves as the Director of Oral Health Services for the Tennessee Department of Health and is an adjunct faculty member of the University of Tennessee. She has been a member of the Tennessee National Guard since 2006.

"Dr. Hayes exemplifies the volunteer spirit for which Tennessee is known and we're thrilled to celebrate these honors with her," said Tennessee Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper, MSN, RN. "We're very proud of her achievements and her service with both the Department of Health and the National Guard."

"I was overwhelmed at just being nominated, but to have won the award is such an honor," Hayes said, "I'm humbled by this and appreciate it more than I can express."

Hayes graduated with Honors in 1978 with a Bachelor's degree from the Medical College of Virginia, where she also attended the graduate nursing program and received her Doctorate. She was honored as a distinguished graduate after completing Reserve Commissioned Officer Training in 2006.