PO1 Gish Awarded Texas Medal of Merit and Junior Enlisted of the Year for 2009
MAJ Michael Spraggins, TXSG PAO
2009/12/21

During the 2009 TXSG Holiday Dinner, Petty Officer First Class Michelle Gish had the unique distinction of being awarded the 2009 Junior Enlisted Member of the Year Award, as well as the Texas Medal of Merit for lifesaving actions during Hurricane Ike in 2008.

PO1 Michelle Gish began proudly serving the citizens of Texas as a member of the Texas State Guard Maritime Regiment, (TMAR) 2nd Battalion-Delta Company in 2006. Currently she is tasked as an Intelligence Specialist, Delta Co. training instructor and recruiting assistant. PO1 Gish began her career with TMAR as a squad leader in Initial Entry Training and graduating Honor Cadet in 2007. Ms. Gish is a member of SGAUS member and has earned her Basic MEMS badge. She graduated Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Training, awarded the Texas Medal of Merit, and Junior Enlisted of the Year in 2009. Her deployments include Hurricane Gustav and Ike in the summer of 2008.

A proud native Texas, she was born in Victoria, Texas and graduated from Gladewater High School in 1982. Ms. Gish’s chosen profession of service to the citizens of Texas began in 1983 as a Police Telecommunications Operator and awarded the State of Texas 911 Commission’s Public Safety Telecommunications Operator of the year on Sept. 11, 1989 and Austin ISD Police Chief’s Award of Excellence in 2004. Obtaining her Peace Officer Commission in 1990, her assignments have included a School Resource Officer for 10 years where she taught the Junior Police Academy curriculum and served as cheerleading coach for two National Qualifier teams. In 1994 and 1995, Ms. Gish also served honorably as an Associate Municipal Court Judge for the City of Sunset Valley before returning to law enforcement as a Travis County Deputy Constable. She is presently with the Austin Police Department’s Special Operations-Airport Division. Ms. Gish is actively pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice with minor emphasis in Psychology at Texas State University, maintaining a GPA of 3.67 and membership in Phi Theta Kappa. Ms. Gish has a total of 26 years as a field training officer in her various professional capacities and currently holds a Master Peace Officer Certification, an Instructor Certification, Special Investigator for Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Certification and a Mental Health Officer Certification through TCLEOSE. Ms. Gish is the wife of APD Sergeant Terry Gish, proud mother of TMAR’s SN Samantha Gish and daughter of Mike and CAPT Deana Lynne Abernathey, USNR.