Guardians of the Last Frontier welcome new 168th Wing commander

168th Wing Public Affairs
Story by Master Sgt. Natalie Stanley

Date: 10.22.2019
Posted: 10.22.2019 12:20
News ID: 348624
Guardians of the Last Frontier welcome new 168th Wing commander

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska — Col. Richard Adams assumed command of the 168th Wing, Alaska Air National Guard, from Col. Bryan White during a change of command ceremony here Oct. 20. Brig. Gen. Scott Howard, Assistant Adjutant General, Alaska Air National Guard was the presiding officer.

Howard praised the wing and its members during the ceremony.

“You and every individual wing member is and always have been the core, the key and foundation of the Alaska Air National Guard’s success,” Howard said. “I look forward to what Col. Adams and all of you can accomplish in the coming years.”

Adams assumed command of the wing after serving as the commander of the 168th Operations Group, a position he had held since May 2018.

Adams was commissioned in 1991 as a distinguished graduate through the ROTC program at the University of Colorado, Boulder. In 2004 he transferred from the active-duty Air Force to the Alaska Air National Guard.

During the ceremony Adams thanked his family for their continued support as he begins his new command. He also shared his vision for the wing moving forward.

“Mission, readiness and people,” he said. “I want to make sure everyone in the wing understands the vital role that you play in our mission success and I charge our leaders to ensure that every Airmen in our wing is an expert at their craft and knows their direct link to mission excellence.”

“There will be a test, it will be graded and group commanders, I’m looking at you,” Adams said.

Adams said his ambition for the wing is for every Airman to become an advocate for the Alaska Air National Guard.

“I want recruiting and retention to be every member’s mission,” he said.

Adams said he hopes to leverage the skills of the Airmen and resources to build a stronger wing.

“The most important aspect of all of this though is our people,” Adams said. “It takes grit and resiliency to live in the interior [of Alaska].”