Col. Greg Semmel Takes Command of 174th Fighter Wing on Sunday, March 4

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Colonel Greg Semmel

• Col. Kevin Bradley

HANCOCK FIELD AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, SYRACUSE, NY (03/02/2012)(readMedia)-- Col. Greg A. Semmel, a Jamesville resident, takes command of the New York Air National Guard's 174th Fighter Wing on Sunday, March 4.

WHO: Col. Greg Semmel, the incoming commander; Col. Kevin W. Bradley, the outgoing commander, Major General Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York, and the Airmen of Hancock Field Air National Guard Base.

WHAT: Traditional Change of Command Ceremony in which the guidon indicating control of the unit is transferred from Col. Bradley-the commander since May 2008-to Col. Semmel, who has been serving as the Assistant Vice Commander. Bradley is moving to a position in New York Air National Guard State Headquarters in Latham, NY. Major General Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York, will be the presiding officer at the ceremony.

WHEN: Press availability with Col. Semmel at 1:45 p.m. Ceremony at 2 pm. Sunday March 4, 2012. Media must be a the Thompson Road Gate to the airbase no later than 1:15 p.m. for access to the facility.

WHERE: Hancock Field Air National Guard Base 600 East Malloy Road, Syracuse

Coverage opportunities:

Members of the press can speak with the incoming and outgoing commanders. Imagery opportunities include airmen in formation and the change of command ceremony itself.

MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA SEEKING ACCESS TO THIS SECURE MILITARY FACILITY MUST CONTACT MAJOR JEFF BROWN AT (315) 663-8734 NO LATER THAN NOON ON SUNDAY MARCH 4 WITH THE NAMES OF REPORTERS/CAMERA CREWS WHO WILL BE ATTENDING.

BACKGROUND:

Col. Greg Semmel:

Col. Greg Semmel has served as the Assistant Vice Commander of the 174th Fighter Wing since March 2011. In that position, he assisted the 174th Commander in leading a combat wing supporting the MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), the MQ-9 Field Training Detachment (FTD), the MQ-9 Formal Training Unit (FTU), and three geographically separated units; organizing, training, equipping and deploying combat-ready forces for Air and Space Expeditionary Forces (AEFs); and providing installation security, services, direct mission support and airfield management to the six mission partners and 1,200 plus military members of Hancock Field.

Among other assignments, Semmel previously served as the Operations Group Commander for the 174th Fighter Wing, as well as an operational test/evaluation pilot at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida and an instructor at the U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

Semmel graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1986, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. He is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours, including over 125 combat missions in various operations to include Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Southern Watch, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Noble Eagle.

His awards include the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, and the Air Force Achievement Medal.

Col. Kevin Bradley

Col. Kevin Bradley has served as the commander of the 174th Fighter Wing and installation Commander of Hancock Field Air National Guard base since May of 2008. Bradley oversaw the wing's transition from a unit flying F-16 fighters to one operating MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft conducting combat missions daily.

Bradley received his Air Force commission through the Officer Training School program in 1984. After serving in the United States Air Force, Colonel Bradley joined the New York Air National Guard in 1992 where he has commanded frontline combat units at the squadron, group and wing level. He has served at the National Guard Bureau and the Headquarters United States Air Force. Colonel Bradley is a command pilot with over 3500 hours in the T-37, T-38, F-16 and MQ-9 aircraft. He has flown combat missions in support of Operation Provide Comfort, Operation Northern Watch, Operation Southern Watch, Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry –Riddle Aeronautical University and a Masters of Business Administration from Columbia College. He is also a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College.

His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

The 174th Fighter Wing

The 174th Fighter Wing of the New York Air National Guard operates the MQ-9 remotely piloted Aircraft, with wing members flying missions in support of American and allied personnel in Afghanistan on a regular basis from a command center at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base. The Wing also operates the MQ-9 Flying Training Unit and the MQ-9 Field Training Detachment for the entire United States Air Force, training American and allied personnel from around the world on the system.

The 174th Fighter Wing provides trained Air National Guard personnel in support of Air Expeditionary Forces around the world and also supports state emergency, security, and disaster response missions here at home.