167th Hosts WVANG State Command Chief Change of Responsibility

Photo By Staff Sgt. Edward Michon | Chief Master Sgt. Brandon Ives, West Virginia Air National Guard state command chief, makes his first remarks as the newest WVANG command chief during a state command chief change of responsibility ceremony at the 167th Airlift Wing dining facility, Martinsburg, West Virginia, Feb. 5, 2022. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Edward Michon)  

MARTINSBURG, WV, UNITED STATES

02.10.2022

Story by Senior Airman Edward Michon 

167th Airlift Wing, West Virginia Air National Guard

The 167th Airlift Wing hosted a state command chief change of responsibility ceremony in the base dining facility, Feb. 5.
The wing bid farewell to Chief Master Sgt. David Stevens, the outgoing WVANG state command chief since 2019, relinquishing his duties to Chief Master Sgt. Brandon Ives, the incoming WVANG state command chief.
Brig. Gen. William Crane, adjutant general, West Virginia National Guard, welcomed Chief Master Sgt. Ives into West Virginia’s “One Guard Family” at the opening of the ceremony.
“We appreciate you coming to West Virginia to take on this tremendous opportunity,” said Crane. “We’re certainly glad to have you and look forward to working with you.”
The outgoing Stevens formally passed the responsibility of WVANG state command chief to Ives and made his closing statements.
“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to be your 14th state command chief. It has been filled with many challenges but has been very rewarding,” said Stevens. “It has truly been an honor and a pleasure.”
Stevens addressed his peers and fellow Airmen, encouraging them to welcome Ives into his new role.
“Make him feel at home here,” said Stevens. “Show him first-hand your ready spirit and share with him your mountaineer pride.”
Chief Master Sgt. Ives comes to West Virginia with over 30 years of military experience, spending a majority of his career as an aircraft maintainer. Ives spent the last three years as a command chief at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington and also recently completed an assignment at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey as a command chief with Task Force Liberty during Operation Allies Welcome.
Ives, during his welcome speech, placed an emphasis on the importance of young Airmen – the future of our ranks.
“We as a military need to rely on them right now,” said Ives. “They come to us with a ton of knowledge and a new way of looking at things.”
With a focus on empowering these service members early in their career with the necessary guidance and leadership, Ives focused how they contribute to the overall mission.
“I’ve gotten to work with some of the most amazing young Airmen, both officers and enlisted, and it was absolutely astounding,” Ives stated. “You take a group of these young Airmen and you give them a mission with a desired end goal, they will overwhelmingly get it done.”
As the new WVANG state command chief, Ives stressed the importance of innovation and creativity within the organization and outlined his goals of protecting these ideals.
“I will do my best to serve you and pursue to missions and priorities for West Virginia,” Ives said at the closing of the ceremony.

• Date Taken: 02.10.2022
• Date Posted: 02.10.2022 08:12
• Story ID: 414399
• Location: MARTINSBURG, WV, US