MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- Lt. Gen. L. Scott Rice, Director of the Air National Guard and Chief Master Sgt. Ronald Anderson, ANG Command Chief, toured the 167th Airlift Wing and met with Airmen here, July 26.
West Virginia National Guard Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. James A. Hoyer, and Assistant Adjutant General for Air, Brig. Gen. Paige Hunter and State Command Chief, Chief Master Sgt. James Dixon joined the ANG leadership on the tour of the Martinsburg air base.
The visit gave the wing an opportunity to highlight some of the work it has accomplished recently and to hear about some of the initiatives the ANG leaders are working.
“I visit the wings to get a sense of the culture and I already have a sense of the culture here,” Rice said after being briefed on the Wing’s heavy operations tempo since its recent aircraft conversion and its involvement in special operations forces missions.
Rice discussed an array of current topics with the Airmen including increasing the number of Active Guard Reserve positions for aircrew, his views on global threats, finding ways to retain women in the military after they have children and other manning issues within the Air National Guard.
“Lt. Gen. Rice mentioned the current manning challenges in the Air National Guard and took note of how we consistently exceed recruiting goals,” said Col. Shaun Perkowski, 167AW commander. “In doing so, he mentioned possible future mission sets and we told him we are ready.”
The ANG director, command chief and state leadership made stops in the operations building, the maintenance complex, the dining facility and the medical facility, meeting with Guardsmen from each group on base.
Rice and Anderson presented their challenge coin to Capt. Sam Harrison, Tech. Sgt. Daniel Baker, Tech. Sgt. Glen Housden, Staff Sgt. Gregory Fuqua and Staff Sgt. Alexa Maroukian recognizing them as top performers for the 167AW.
Perkowski noted that it is a rare opportunity for the wing to have both the ANG and state leadership here to meet with the airmen and officers.
“I couldn't be prouder of the professionalism of the entire wing, military and civilian, in how we represented the 167th and the state of West Virginia,” Perkowski said.