Photo By 1st Lt. Daniel Condit | Newly retired Cheif Master Sgt. Ronald W. Redding, former 188th Civil Engineering...... read more read more
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EBBING AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ark. – Chief Master Sgt. Ronald W. Redding, Chief of Emergency Management for the 188th Wing Arkansas Air National Guard, retired after more than 30 years of service April 7, 2018, during a formal retirement ceremony.
Lt. Col. Michael D. Howard, 188th Civil Engineering Squadron commander, presided over the ceremony, which included Chief Master Sgt. William Liston, Air National Guard (ANG) Functional Area Command Emergency Manager, as a guest speaker.
“I’ve rarely met anyone with more integrity than Chief Redding,” Howard expressed. “I want you to be proud of your accomplishments and know that your integrity is reflected back by your family and your squadron.”
Redding began his military career with the Arkansas Army National Guard in 1985. He served with the 142nd Field Artillery “Charlie” Battery for two years until transferring to active duty with the Air Force in August of 1987. There he served as a firefighter with the 7th Bomb Wing at Carswell AFB Fort Worth, Texas.
In 1990, Redding returned to Arkansas with the Air National Guard (ANG) when he cross-trained to Disaster Preparedness, now the Emergency Management career field. He became the full-time Readiness and Emergency Management flight superintendent in November 2002.
During this time, Chief Redding served as chief for the ANG (FEMA) Region 6 which covers nine ANG wings in five states, 565,647 square miles and over 42 Million people. Redding coordinated and executed missions to train and certify thousands of military and civilian members to prevent, prepare and respond to chemical and biological threats. In Addition, he has served on the Northwest Arkansas (NWA) Joint Terrorism Task Force, the NWA Emergency Planning Committee and the ANG Emergency Management Chiefs Council.
Throughout his military career, Redding has deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Southern Watch and activated in support for Operation Noble Eagle and deployed to Kirkuk, Iraqi for Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005.
“I am not sure everyone here knows what you’ve for me as a mentor and a friend to the entire emergency management career field, Liston said, in regards to Redding’s contributions. “You really wrote the book on emergency management.”
Liston then presented Chief Redding with the Order of the Dragon award in appreciation of his career.
Following the official retirement certificate presentation, many guest speakers spoke of Chief Redding’s accomplishments and thanked him for his leadership and guidance both professionally and personally.
Near the conclusion of the ceremony, Redding reflected on his career. “I was born in a guard family, my father was a first sergeant in Army National Guard and in fact drove from Fort Chafee to the hospital in his uniform on the day I was born. I was raised in the National Guard and always knew that I would serve. I raised my sons here in the 188th and both have served here as well. Even though I’m retiring, I’ll always be part of this guard family.”
Retired Chief Master Sgt. Ronald W. Redding plans to continue serving his community as a deputy sheriff and as a founding member of the local Sheepdog emergency response team.
| Date Taken: | 04.07.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 04.08.2018 16:38 |
| Story ID: | 272198 |
| Location: | FORT SMITH, AR, US |
| Web Views: | 336 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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