Col. Robert Kilgore, Lancaster resident,Iraq War vet, promoted to one-star general on March 10

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Colonel Robert Kilgore

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (03/08/2019) (readMedia)-- New York Air National Guard Col. Robert Kilgore, a Lancaster resident, a veteran of the Gulf War and the war in Iraq, and the former commander of the 107th Attack Wing will be promoted to one-star general on Sunday, March 10 during a ceremony at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station.Members of the media are invited to cover the event.

WHO: Col. Robert G. Kilgore, the former commander of the 107th Attack Wing; Brig. Gen. Timothy LaBarge presiding officer and commander of the New York Air National Guard, members of the 107th Attack Wing.

WHAT: Traditional promotion ceremony in which Col. Robert Kilgore will be promoted to Brigadier GeneralWHEN: 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 10

WHERE: Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, Lockport Road, Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Members of the media must contact Master Sgt. Brandy Fowler at 716-253-0071 prior to 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 10 in order to gain access to this secure military facility.

Media Opportunities:

Interviews with Brig. Gen. Robert Kilgore and members of the 107th Attack Wing. Video and still imagery of the ceremony.

BACKGROUND

Col. Robert Kilgore:

Col. Robert Kilgore, a Lancaster resident, is a command pilot with more than 4,860 hours of flight time in flying the T-37B trainer the KC-135R refueling aircraft, the C-130H2 tactical airlifter, and the MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft.

Kilgore served as the commander of the 107th Attack Wing from January 2015 to November 2018. He oversaw the wing's transition from an airlift wing, with the last mission being flown in 2015, to an attack wing flying the remotely piloted MQ-9 aircraft.

He is currently serving as the Chief of Staff of the New York Air National Guard as a traditional Guardsman while also pursuing a civilian career as an airline pilot.

Kilgore was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy in 1988.

He graduated from pilot training in 1989 and served on active duty for nine years flying the KC-135R tanker plane at Altus Air Force Base Oklahoma and Kadena Air Base, Japan.

He joined the New York Air National Guard in 1997 as an instructor pilot and evaluator pilot.

Kilgore has served as a flight commander, operations office and squadron commander of the 136th Air Refueling Squadron and also served as the commander of the 107th Airlift Wing Maintenance Group. He also served as the 107th Airlift Wing vice Commander.

He deployed to serve in Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Desert Strike, Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, Enduring Freedom, Freedom Sentinel and Inherent Resolve.

Kilgore deployed to Joint Base Balad, Iraq and served as operations officer, detachment commander and deputy operations group commander there.

Kilgore holds a master's degree in managerial economics from the University of Oklahoma and he is also a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College, the Air War College, the Joint Forces Staff College, the Joint Task Force Commanders Course, and the National Securities Studies Management Course at Syracuse University.

His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, the Combat Readiness Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.

He is married to New York Air National Guard Col. Michele Kilgore who commands the 109th Airlift Wing at Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia, N.Y.

The 107th Attack Wing:

The 107th Attack Wing traces its history back to the 107th Fighter Group of the Air National Guard which was organized in 1946 and flew the World War II era F-47 Thunderbolt fighter bomber.

The unit flew fighter aircraft – to include the F-4 Phantom and the F-16-until 1994 when he became the 107th Refueling Wing. From 1994 to 2007 the wing operated as the 107th Air Refueling Wing and supported operations in the Middle East and around the world, flying the KC-135R Strato Tanker.

In 2007 the wing transitioned to the 107th Airlift Wing, sharing C-130 cargo planes with the Air Force Reserves 914th Airlift Wing.In 2014 the wing began converting to an Attack Wing, with members flying the remotely piloted MQ-9 aircraft. The unit was renamed the 107th Attack Wing in 2017.

The wing is also responsible for the 274th Air Support Operation Squadron based at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse, NY and the 222nd Command and Control Squadron which is based at Chantilly, Virginia and Rome, NY.