Photo By Master Sgt. Paul Rider | Washington Air National Guard Commander Brig. Gen. John Tuohy hands the flag of the...... read more read more
Subscribe
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD—Col. Gent Welsh took command of the Washington Air National Guard’s 194th Wing during a ceremony at Evergreen Theater here on April 1, replacing Col. Jeremy Horn. Horn will move on to replace retiring Brig. Gen. Richard Kelly as Director of Joint Forces for the Washington National Guard.
“You’re getting a great leader to follow a great leader,” said Brig. Gen. John Tuohy, commander of the Washington Air National Guard, who presided over the change of command. Tuohy charged Welsh to focus on “mission, accountability, and people.”
Welsh previously served as joint chief of staff to The Adjutant General of the Washington National Guard and as vice commander of the 194th Wing. He was “the best vice ever,” said Horn. “He’s been the guy behind the scenes working so closely to push our cyber agenda,” said Tuohy. Tuohy described Welsh as a “strategist, tactician, politician, and a magician.”
Welsh’s service in the Air National Guard has included stints as detachment commander of the 256th Combat Communications Squadron, commander of the 242nd Combat Communications Squadron, and detachment commander of the 252nd Combat Communications Group. Prior to serving as the Washington National Guard’s joint chief of staff, Welsh was the J6 Chief Information Officer in the Washington Military Department. Welsh holds a Master’s degree in military strategic studies from the Air War College.
“There is not a better person on the planet to lead this Wing to the next heights,” said Horn, who led the Wing over the past two years.
Horn led the Wing’s domestic operations in response to the 2015 wildfires in north central Washington. He also oversaw the Wing’s preparations for a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake and “masterfully led the expansion of cyber operations,” said Tuohy. Addressing the hundreds of airmen at the change of command ceremony, Tuohy added, “He loves you like family.”
Horn credited his Airmen for the accomplishments of the past two years. “I did very little except be the best cheerleader and advocate for these folks as I could,” said Horn. “This has been the best job I have ever had in my career.”
Welsh is the fifth officer to take charge of the wing since it was formed in 2006. The Wing consists of over 1,000 Airmen in cyberspace operations, mission support, air support operations, and medical.
“Everything we do is focused on making this Wing better,” Welsh pledged to Airmen in his remarks. “What we ask from you is your return commitment to making a difference.”
| Date Taken: | 04.02.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 04.02.2017 19:23 |
| Story ID: | 228915 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 510 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Welsh takes command of 194th Wing, by Capt. Hans Zeiger, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
