Two Sailors and one Marine at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station have won military and civilian accolades for their outstanding military and community service.

Last week, the City of Oak Harbor honored the trio. And last month, Rotary and the Navy League threw a celebration in their honor. The Navy League annually recognizes the top shore and sea sailors and the Oak Harbor Rotary Club sponsors the Marine of the Year award.

The Rotary Club has a 32 year-tradition of participation in the awards event.

“We want to make sure the Navy community knows and understands that we support their mission,” said Jim Slowik, Rotary Club president.

The Navy League could not be reached for comment about its annual participation in the event before the newspaper’s deadline.

The trio were honored last month during ceremonies at the Officers Club at NAS Whidbey. Here are some highlights from information the Navy provided about the honorees:

Aviation Electronics Technician 1st Class Angela Amundson is the 2005 Navy League Shore Sailor of the Year. She was recognized for her professional accomplishments, dedication to duty and her community service.

Amundson hails from Racine, Wisc. She enlisted in the Navy in December 1995 and reported to basic training at Great Lakes, Ill. She later attended EA-6B electrical training at NAS Whidbey.

She served as an EA-6B electronic counter measures technician, then collateral duty inspector and finally a Quality Assurance Representative while on deployment with VAQ 130 to the Mediterranean Sea/Arabian Gulf. She won several naval awards during her tenure.

In August 2002, Amundson reported to the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit Whidbey Island for training as an Intermediate Level Maintenance Technician for the Digital Test Bench. She was promoted to First Class Petty Officer in November 2002.

Currently attached to Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Detachment Whidbey Island, Amundson serves as the leading petty officer of the Avionics Division, leading over 550 avionics technicians. She is a frequent volunteer in various community programs such as Relay for Life charity events, Adopt-A-Highway, local religious organizations and North Whidbey Help House. She is nearing completion of a bachelor’s degree through Park University. She resides with her husband Jeremy and son Joshua in Oak Harbor.

Aviation electrician’s mate Larry Gaither of VP-1 was recognized for his leadership, hard work and tenacity as NAS Whidbey Island’s Navy League Sea Sailor of the Year.

Gaither was born in Chester, S.C. He joined the Navy in 1993, attended boot camp at Great Lakes, Ill., and then transferred to VQ-1 World Watchers. His abilities earned him the position as the number one aircraft handler in his division.

In the summer of 1999 after a month-long course of instruction on the P-3C Instrument and Electrical Systems, Gaither reported to VP-30. By the year 2000, he earned a promotion to Second Class Petty officer in 2001 and won a number of achievement medals.

He returned to Whidbey and joined the Screaming Eagles of VP-1. He immediately made his presence known by re-qualifying as electrical branch collateral duty inspector and is currently assigned as line division leading petty officer.

His community service includes working as a Partner in Education with Oak Harbor Elementary, an in-home care provider for disable seniors,Deacon of the New Life Ministry Church and assisting with beach cleanup. With the help of his wife Donna and daughters Akira and Lennece, he plans to continue supporting the Navy and the Oak Harbor community.

Sgt. Jerimiah Wood was the 2005 Marine of the Year because of his dedication to service. Wood graduated from Mossyrock High School in 2000. He attended Evergreen State College for two semesters before enlisting in the Marine Corps.

He attended Marine Corps Combat Training at Camp Pendleton, Calif. He earned designation as a Communications/ Navigation Electronics Technician. Wood was assigned to Marine Aviation Logistic Squadron 11, Work Center 610. In January of 2003 he was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom until June of 2003. He returned to Whidbey in 2004 and was assigned to the Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Detachment. He currently is the work center’s 610 production supervisor.

He is also assigned the collateral duties as the Electro Static Discharge NCO and is Collateral Duty Inspector. He won numerous recognitions, and recently was the representative for the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps NCO Symposium. Wood is a member of the MATSG-53 Color Guard and has participated in Color Guards throughout the Northwest Region and Canada.

He is a Marine Corps Martial Arts Green Belt Instructor who trains Marine and Navy personnel at NAS Whidbey.

His activities in the community include Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps leadership and drill training, Toys for Tots and volunteering at various events in Island, Skagit and Whatcom counties. He is married to the former Janane Green and has a son Zachary.