Former 167th navigator promoted to Brigadier General

  • Published
  • By By Staff Sgt. Jodie Witmer
Col. Christopher S. Walker, Chief of Staff for the West Virginia Air National Guard, was promoted to Brig. Gen. during a ceremony at the 167th Airlift Wing in Martinsburg, W.Va., Oct. 14.

Walker was joined by family, friends and service members to celebrate the occasion.

“It is an honor to promote Col. Walker to the rank of brigadier general today and to serve alongside him in the West Virginia Air National Guard,” said Brig. Gen. Paige Hunter, the Assistant Adjutant General for Air of the West Virginia National Guard. “He has demonstrated passion, perseverance and a commitment to serving the state of West Virginia, its people, and the Airmen of our organization throughout his impressive career. I have no doubt that he will lead the WVANG into the future with determination and fervent success.”

Walker started his military career after graduating the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Co., in 1988. After 9 years as a C-130 navigator for the USAF he left active duty and joined the WVANG at the 167th AW where he served 9 years as a navigator and held various titles including commander of the 167th Operations Support Squadron.

From 2006-2008, he was the ANG Crisis Action Team Director at the Air National Guard Readiness Center (ANGRC) at Joint Base Andrews, Md. From 2008-2013 he served in the Connecticut Air National Guard as Chief Air Mobility Division at Bradley ANGB, CT and as Deputy Commander and Commander of the 103rd Air and Space Operations Group.

Walker has also held the position of Chief, A3 Mobility Operations Division and NGB Acting Deputy Director, Air, Space and Cyber Operations at ANGRC.

Walker has served in various operations and contingencies as well as serving as a special assistant to the DIRMOBFOR at the 609th CAOC at Al Udied AB, Qatar, and also served as a civil aviation advisor to the Iraqi Ministry of Transportation with the Coalition Provisional Authority.

During the ceremony Hoyer presented Walker with the Defense Meritorious Service Medal for his service as the Division Chief, Property and Fiscal Operations Division at the National Guard Bureau, in Arlington, Va., from April 2014 through December 2016.

Walker became the Chief of Chief of Staff for the West Virginia Air National Guard in Dec. 2016.

The presiding official for the ceremony, Maj. Gen. James A. Hoyer, the Adjutant General of the West Virginia National Guard, challenged Brig. Gen. Walker to keep focus and provide Airmen with the tools needed to be capable and ready to go.