Photo By 2nd Lt. De-Juan Haley | Brig. Gen. David V. Cochran was recently promoted to the position of Assistant...... read more read more
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As a young man growing up in Virginia with interests in piloting and engineering, Brig. Gen. David V. Cochran knew that pursuing an education through the U.S. Air Force Academy would set him on a path to success.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the Air Force Academy and 32 years in the military—including more than two decades with the West Virginia National Guard—it’s safe to say Cochran has found that success. Earlier this month, Cochran, who is also a pilot for United Airlines, was selected to be the Assistant Adjutant General and commander of the West Virginia Air National Guard. A formal change of command ceremony, presided over by Brig. Gen. William “Bill” Crane, Adjutant General of the West Virginia National Guard, is scheduled for 1 p.m. today.
“I am honored and humbled to be trusted with the position of ATAG-Air by our state leadership, and passionate about the future of our Guard,” Cochran said. “I am also excited to continue service as a drill status guardsman and balance my civilian job with my military duty. I believe that the Citizen-Airmen and Soldiers are the Guard, and we must have opportunities to serve at every level.”
Cochran was commissioned in May 1989 through the U.S. Air Force Academy and graduated a year later from pilot training at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma. As an active-duty pilot, Cochran was involved in several global missions.
“My initial active-duty tour with the C-130E and C-130H3 aircraft at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, involved European, Southwest Asia-Middle East and Eastern African deployments in support of DESERT CALM, RESTORE HOPE and other contingencies,” Cochran said. “My follow-on assignment to Andrews AFB was more routine, and allowed me to cut my teeth on command, as a flight commander within a C-21 squadron and entailed assignments within the group.”
Before his promotion to ATAG, Cochran served as the director of operations for the WVANG. He previously served the 167th Airlift Wing as deputy commander of both the Operations Group and Maintenance Group, and as commander for the 167th Operations Support Flight, 167th Airlift Squadron, logistics commander for the 167th Maintenance Group, and vice commander and wing commander of the 167th. He has logged more than 7,000 hours in the air and has flown T-37, T-38, C-130E, C-130H3, C-21A, C-5A, and C-17 aircraft.
Now that he has been promoted to ATAG-Air, Cochran said he will work to ensure Airmen have the proper environment, training and tools to be successful. He described his leadership style as “inspirational, compassionate, deliberate and adaptive.”
“My focus will always be on our service members and the Guard family, for each one of them and their loved ones are our most valued asset,” Cochran said.
Although the state’s COVID-19 response has required many Soldiers and Airmen to focus on issues here at home, Cochran pointed out that the mission to defend the state and nation never changed. He said the pandemic showed that Guardsmen must always be prepared for what comes next.
“As we began to re-think what ‘normal’ will be post-pandemic, our focus will continue to be preparing for the next fight with strong, diverse, adaptive, resilient, well-trained and equipped Guardsmen,” he said.
For the Air Guard, that preparation includes the long-awaited conversion to C-130J aircraft. Cochran said a successful conversion and taking care of those affected by the reduction in personnel is a priority.
“We’ll also concentrate on perfecting the basics, while enhancing our mission readiness to ensure our value to the state and the nation will be at its best,” he said.
Cochran said he is honored to assume his new position and is looking forward to working closely with Crane to advance the Guard and prepare all Soldiers and Airmen to meet their fullest potential.
“I embrace TAG’s priorities for the WVNG and will be working diligently to advance them,” Cochran said. “It will take the entire team to continue shaping our organization for the best possible future—a future that must include not just the best tactically and strategically prepared Guard, but a future that includes a ready, diverse, joint, resilient force of highly competent and trained professional Guardsmen. We are One Guard.”
| Date Taken: | 07.28.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 07.28.2021 11:33 |
| Story ID: | 401899 |
| Location: | CHARLESTON, WV, US |
| Web Views: | 397 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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