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Fairfax County's Dhruva Poluru, who serves as a staff sergeant in the US Air Force, has been named one of the top 12 Airmen in the 500,000-member total Air Force.
Poluru, of Herndon, has been selected as Enlisted Airman of the Year.
The 2022 State University of New York at Buffalo grad is assigned to the New York Air National Guard’s 107th Attack Wing, and serves in the wing’s 222nd Command and Control Squadron, which specializes in space operations.
“Even though I’m still processing the news, being selected as the only New York Air National Guard member to have achieved this honor is something I can’t ever be thankful enough for,” Poluru said.
"Being first-generation American after my parents came to this country, it means more than I can express. To see that I’ve had enough of an impact on our focus to protect and defend the nation that gave my family and I so much."
Poluru’s unit, the 222nd Command and Control Squadron which is based in Rome, NY, provides personnel to work with the National Reconnaissance Office, the agency which runs America's space surveillance systems.
Poluru was the only nominee from the Air National Guard selected for the top honors, and has been promoted since he was originally nominated for the award as a senior airman.
Maj. Gen. Denis Donnell, the commander of the New York Air National Guard praised his selection by the Air Force.
”Poluru was the first Airman that I coined as the new commander of the New York Air National Guard,” she said, referring to the tradition of recognizing military personnel with a commander’s coin. “He represents the very best of what it means to be an innovative, multi-capable Airman in our Total Force.”
The 107th, headquartered at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, also operates the MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft.
Poluru tracks the orbits of American satellites and those of other nations to ensure the security of U.S. space systems, and serves as a mission crew chief and is a full-time Guardsman working at the National Reconnaissance Office in Chantilly.
Poluru is responsible for orbital threat analysis and for the command and control of over 85 commercial data providers and orbital analysts who contribute to the United States Space Force's space protection and space defense missions.
He also serves as the primary government representative to a team of 190 military, contractor, and international analysts geographically dispersed which provide space domain awareness support to the commander, United States Space Command.
Poluru graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo with a bachelor's degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering in 2022. After attending undergraduate school in Buffalo, he moved to Herndon while assigned to the 222nd Command and Control Squadron.
His awards include the Air and Space Commendation Medal, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Remote Combat Effects Campaign Medal, Outstanding Airman of the Year Ribbon, the National Defense Service Ribbon, and the Air and Space Achievement Medal.
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