Col. Howard Wagner takes command of 105th Airlift Wing on Sunday, May 15

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Col. Howard Wagner

STEWART AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, NEWBURGH, N.Y. (05/13/2016)(readMedia)-- New York Air National Guard Col. Howard Wagner will take command of the 105th Airlift Wing during a traditional military change-of-command ceremony here on Sunday, May 15. Members of the press are invited to cover the event.

WHO: Col. Howard Wagner-the incoming commander-Brig. Gen. Timothy La Barge-the outgoing commander, and Major General Anthony German, the commander of the New York Air National Guard and the Adjutant General of New York, who will act as presiding officer.

WHAT: A traditional change-of-command ceremony in which the outgoing commander, hands the wing's colors – or flag-to the presiding officer. The presiding officer, in turn, passes the colors to the incoming commander. This signifies the change of responsibility for the unit. Traditionally this ceremony allowed the men of a unit to see who their new commander was so they could follow him in battle.

WHEN: Reporters must be at the base gate no later than 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 15, 2016 and must call ahead.

WHERE: Stewart Air National Guard Base, 1 Maguire Way, Newburgh

For access to this secure military facility, members of the press must contact Tech Sgt. Sara Pastarello at 845-563-2075 no later than 9 a.m. on Sunday May 15.

BACKGROUND:

Col. Howard Wagner

Col. Howard Wagner joined the U.S. Air Force in 1982 after graduating from Tufts University and receiving his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps. He earned his pilot wings in 1984 and initially flew the T-37 training aircraft as an instructor pilot.

He was then assigned to fly the RF-4C reconnaissance jet. He flew 26 combat missions in the aircraft during Operation Desert Storm, the Persian Gulf War in 1991.

In 1994, Wagner transitioned to flying the C-5A Galaxy and joined the 105th Airlift Wing as a pilot. Since joining the 105th, Wagner has served as commander of the 105th Operational Support Flight, the 137th Airlift Squadron, and the 105th Maintenance Group. He has served as wing vice commander since 2014 and also served as acting director of staff for the New York Air National Guard for three months.

He transitioned to flying the C-17 in 2011.

Wagner has served full-time as a Guard Airmen since 2005, but prior to that flew the Boeing 727, 757 and 767 for United Airlines.

Wagner holds a bachelor of science from Tufts University as well as a law degree from the University of Connecticut, and is a graduate of the Air Force Squadron Officers School, the Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College.

His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal, the Kuwait Liberation Medal from the Government of Kuwait and the Air Force Overseas Service Medal.

He and his wife Vanita live in Redding, Connecticut. They have three children: Rachel Wagner, Neil Menon, and Nikhil Menon who is married to Kathryn Lewis.

Brig. Gen. Timothy LaBarge

Brig. Gen. Timothy Labarge, is a 32-year veteran of the Air Force and the Air National Guard, and has been selected to serve as Chief of Staff of the New York Air National Guard. Prior to commanding the 105th Airlift Wing he served as the commander of the 109th Airlift Wing at Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia. That unit flies the LC-130 ski-equipped aircraft which are used to supply science research stations in Antarctica and Greenland.

LaBarge, a graduate of St. Lawrence University in Canton, joined the Air Force in 1983 and was commissioned through the Officer Training School program. Colonel LaBarge is a command pilot with experience flying the T-37, T-38, C-5, C-17, C-130 and LC-130 and has flown combat and combat support missions in Operations Desert Shield / Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom as well as polar airlift missions in support of Operation Deep Freeze in Antarctica.

He is a graduate of the Air Force Squadron Officers School, Air Force Command and General Staff School, the Air War College, the Joint Forces Staff College and received a Master of Arts in Military Studies/Strategic Leadership from the American Military University.

He previously served in the 105th Airlift wing from 1992 to 2006 as a C-5 instructor and evaluator pilot, a squadron operations officer, the Chief of Standardization and Evaluation and the Chief of the Wing Command Post before moving into positions at Air Force Headquarters and New York Air National Guard Headquarters.

He also served as the New York Air National Guard Director of Staff, and was the principal advisor to the Adjutant General on a broad range of matters concerning the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard.

LaBarge's awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal the Air Force Commendation Medal , the Combat Readiness Medal the National Defense Service Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal two bronze stars , the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal ,the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon, the Antarctic Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Kuwait Liberation Medal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Kuwait Liberation Medal Government of Kuwait.

LaBarge and his wife Petra have two daughters Lyndsay and Emily, a grand-daughter Tayler and a grandson TJ.