Col. Michael Bank, a Darien resident, takes over Air National Guard Wing on Long Island Saturday

Bank has been serving as vice commander of the 107th Airlift Wing at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station

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Colonel Michael Bank

NIAGARA FALLS AIR RESERVE STATION, NY (04/01/2016)(readMedia)-- New York Air National Guard Colonel Michael W. Bank, a Darien resident, takes command of the Long Island-based 106th Rescue Wing on Saturday, April 2.

Bank has been serving as the Vice Commander of the New York Air National Guard's 107th Airlift Wing, which is based at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station. As vice commander Bank has been responsible for operations, medical and mission support functions of the wing. He was also responsible for the deployment and employment of assigned personnel and equipment to ensure these assets are available to support all state and national requirements.

The 106th Rescue Wing, based at F.S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach, flies the HH-60 Pavehawk rescue helicopter and the HC-130 search and rescue King tanker. The HC-130 has the ability to refuel the rescue helicopters in flight and can also drop para-rescue Airman as required.

The wing includes the 102nd Rescue Squadron- -the oldest unit in the Air National Guard and one of the oldest in the Air Force-and deploys para-rescue jumpers who are trained in first aid, scuba operations, and search and recovery. The wing has deployed Airmen to Afghanistan and Iraq many times.

Bank was commissioned through Air Force ROTC in 1988 and served in the Active Air Force at the 644the Bomb Squadron at K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base from 1990 to 1994 as a navigator in the B-52 H bomber.

He joined what was then the New York Air National Guard's 107th Air Refueling Wing in 1994 and has served in a variety of positions to include Chief of Wing Plans, Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Commander, and 136 Air Refueling Squadron Commander.

Bank is a former senior navigator in the B-52H and KC-135R with over 1,800 total flight hours and is currently a command pilot with over 5,000 total flight hours.

Bank holds a Bachelor of Computer and Information Systems from Florida State University, and is a graduate of the Air Command Staff College, the Air War College and the Joint and Combined Warfighting School.

His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Air Medal, and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device, the Combat Readiness Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal and the NATO medal.