Air Mobility Command commander visits 182nd Airlift Wing, Illinois Air National Guard

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Lealan Buehrer
  • 182nd Airlift Wing
The commander of U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command visited the Illinois Air National Guard's 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria, Illinois, Feb. 22.

Gen. Maryanne Miller became the command’s top official in September 2018, where she coordinates total force Airmen and assets in accomplishing the Air Force’s airlift, air refueling, air mobility and aeromedical evacuation missions.

During the visit, she met with wing and Illinois Air National Guard leadership for a wing mission brief, discussed the state of Air Mobility Command’s wartime and peacetime operations, and learned about 182nd Maintenance Group innovation and the impact on C-130 Hercules operations.

“I thought the visit went very well,” said Col. Daniel McDonough, the commander of the 182nd Airlift Wing. “She asked some really good questions during the briefing and was just gobbling up what we had to say in the hangar about our maintenance practices.”

The general also took time to meet and coin some of the wing's star performers — a time-honored military tradition in which leaders recognize troops' accomplishments with the awarding of coins. Coined were:

-Master Sgt. Sarah Markham, a services superintendent with the 182nd Force Support Squadron.
-Staff Sgt. Hailey McFall, a recruiter with the 182nd Force Support Squadron.
-Senior Airman Daniel Schweizer, a mobility air forces integrated instrument and flight control systems specialist with the 182nd Maintenance Squadron.
-Staff Sgt. Justin Smith, a security forces specialist with the 182nd Security Forces Squadron.
-Tech. Sgt. Brandon Stamm, a cyber systems operations specialist with the 264th Combat Communications Squadron.
-Staff Sgt. Dayton Stevenson, an aircraft maintenance craftsman with the 182nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.
-Master Sgt. Scott Swanson, a cyber systems surety specialist with the 182nd Communications Flight.
-Staff Sgt. Greg Terpin, a maintenance management analyst with the 182nd Maintenance Operations Flight.
-Master Sgt. Kylie Watkins, a material management specialist with the 182nd Logistics Readiness Squadron.
-Tech. Sgt. Tristan Winter, an aerospace propulsion specialist with the 182nd Maintenance Squadron.

All the Airmen coined by the general were recognized for their expertise and contributions to the Air Force mission.

“It’s just a great cross-section of the wing. Some people from just about every group were highlighted,” McDonough said. “We wanted to show her some of our superstars and each one came with separate strengths. Each one had something that contributed to the mission in a different way.”

Air National Guard units typically serve under the command of their respective governors and state National Guard chain of command until being called to federal active duty. At that time, the unit aligns with its active duty command. The 182nd Airlift Wing has been assigned to Air Mobility Command since first receiving the C-130 Hercules flying mission in 1995.