Photo By Balinda ONeal | Alaska National Guard Brig. Gen. Brent Feick, outgoing director of joint staff for the...... read more read more
Subscribe
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Brig. Gen. Brent Feick retired after nearly 41 years of service to our nation during a ceremony held at the Alaska National Guard Armory here, April 1.
As the outgoing director of the AKNG’s joint staff, Feick advised senior leadership on preparedness and emergency response. Feick ended his career by helping the Alaska National Guard answer the call, but it was response that didn’t come quickly enough years ago that left an impression that still resonates with him to this day.
In 1972, a hurricane struck the Pennsylvania native’s home state, taking 130 lives along its path, 113 of which were a direct result of flooding.
“Hurricane Agnes hit hard, flooding towns for hundreds of miles and affected all of my family and friends,” explained Feick. “Relief efforts took weeks, and emergency management was non-existent.”
From wildfires and ice storms to hurricanes and earthquakes, Feick’s most memorable part of his service has been helping people with National Guard capabilities. His career spans the decades and began on the heels of the Vietnam War with an enlistment in the U.S. Air Force in July 1975.
“I've always been fascinated by flying machines, from the Wright Brothers to present day fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft,” said Feick, who worked with aircraft services supporting Continental Airlines, then Braniff Airlines, and later United Airlines, after graduating high school. “When United had a long labor dispute, I joined the Air Force.”
Feick’s active duty assignment was at Altus Air Force Base, Okla. Eighteen months later, he transferred into the Pennsylvania Air National Guard in Willow Grove, 50 miles from his hometown. As a drill-status Guardsman, Feick used his GI Bill to earn a Bachelor of Science in Education at Pennsylvania State University.
In 1982, Feick moved to Colorado for a full-time position in logistics at Buckley ANG Base, and was commissioned as an officer two years later. He was a resource manager, assistant United States Property and Fiscal officer, and held leadership positions in personnel and logistics. In 2002, Feick served as chief of plans for Homeland Security and Homeland Defense at Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, in Arlington, Va. He later served on Joint Staff at National Guard Bureau and then went back to the Pentagon in 2010.
In 2012, Feick served on active duty supporting National Guard Bureau operations as lead for the Quadrennial Defense Review where he defended resources and operational missions for the National Guard on behalf of its 470,000 Airmen and Soldiers. Before being selected for his current position, Feick served as the chief of staff for the West Virginia NG assisting the adjutant general with training and resourcing.
“You can see from his assignments that Brent has been in demand throughout his entire time in service and that many adjutants general and NGB leaders have requested his expertise and counsel,” said Maj. Gen. Laurie Hummel, the adjutant general, AKNG, during the ceremony. “These traits and his exceptionally broad set of experiences are what positioned him for selection as our director of joint staff.”
As Alaska’s director of joint staff and with four decades of service, Feick finished his career focused on the very issues that caused him such concern back in 1972 with Hurricane Agnes. Feick led the joint staff with the vision and guidance needed to successfully establish plans and concepts for operations during emergency responses for fall sea storms, wildland firefighting, floods, extreme cold weather events, aircraft recovery, search and rescue, and major earthquake response.
With roots in Pennsylvania, and stops in Oklahoma, Colorado, Oregon, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, including assignments at National Guard Bureau and the Pentagon, Feick finally folded his flag in Alaska, leaving behind his impression for others to follow.
“It is a bittersweet moment to have an officer of his caliber retire,” said Hummel. “Bitter in the sense that we will miss the counsel, advice, intelligence and calm leadership of such a one of a kind officer. But sweet in the sense that we know he will have more time to spend with his family having those special moments that he and they hold so dear.”
Hummel recognized Feick for his service and professionalism, and thanked him for his enduring commitment on behalf of the Alaska National Guard and the people of the Last Frontier.
| Date Taken: | 04.06.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 04.06.2017 20:53 |
| Story ID: | 229481 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, AK, US |
| Web Views: | 297 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Alaska National Guard director of joint staff retires after 41 years of service, by Balinda ONeal, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT