Col. Shawn Clouthier Takes Command of the 109th Airlift Wing

Col. Timothy LaBarge transfers for second command at Stewart ANGB in Newburgh

Related Media

New York Air National Guard Col. Shawn Clouthier.

STRATTON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, SCOTIA, N.Y. (05/04/2012)(readMedia)-- New York Air National Guard Col. Shawn Clouthier, a Coxsackie resident, takes command of the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing on Saturday, May 5 during a ceremony at Stratton.

Clouthier, the current Operations Commander at the 109th Airlift Wing will replace Col. Timothy LaBarge who has recently become the commander of the 105th Airlift Wing in Newburgh, N.Y.

WHO: Col. Shawn Clouthier, the incoming commander; Col. Timothy LaBarge, the outgoing commander; Major General Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York, and the men and women of the 109th Airlift Wing.

WHAT: Formal change of command ceremony in which LaBarge will transfer command of the 109th Airlift Wing to Clouthier. The custom of acknowledging a change in commanding officers of a military unit with a formal ceremony has long been a tradition within military history. The purpose of a change-of-command ceremony is to emphasize the continuity of leadership and the unit identity despite changes in individual authority.

Members of the media will be able to interview both the incoming and outgoing commanders the Wednesday prior to the ceremony.

WHEN: Saturday May 5th. Formal interviews will take place from 1:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. Members of the press must be in place for the ceremony at 1:45 p.m. The formal ceremony will begin at 2 p.m.

WHERE: Hangar 7, Stratton Air National Guard Base, 1 Air National Guard Road, Scotia, N.Y. 12302.

Note: Members of the press must contact Lt. Col. Jody Ankabrandt at 518-344-2396 to schedule interviews and access this secure military facility. The event is taking place on a unit drill weekend so visitors should build time to clear the gate and park in the media designated area.

Coverage Opportunities:

Interviews with Col. Clouthier and Col. LaBarge by prior appointment, and video and still imagery of the formal change of command ceremony.

BACKGROUND:

Col. Shawn Clouthier:

Col. Shawn A. Clouthier is the Commander of the 109th Airlift Wing, Stratton Air National Guard Base, N.Y., as of May 6, 2012. As Commander, he is responsible to the Governor of New York for the only LC-130 Airlift Wing in the world.

The 109th AW is one of five flying units of the New York Air National Guard that provides worldwide airlift support for operations as directed by the Air Mobility Command and the Air National Guard. It has the only ski-equipped C-130 aircraft in the Air Force and is the sole provider of heavy airlift in support of military and National Science Foundation directed operations in the Arctic and Antarctica Polar Regions.

Colonel Clouthier was born in 1961 at Travis Air Force Base Medical Center, Calif. He graduated from Fort Plain High School, Fort Plain, N.Y. in 1979, and earned his Associate's of Applied Science degree as a Paralegal Assistant through Herkimer County Community College, Herkimer, N.Y., graduating in 1981. He went on to earn his Bachelor's Degree in General Studies at the State University of N.Y., Regents College in 1993. His military education includes Squadron Officer School and Air War College.

Colonel Clouthier earned his commission through the Academy of Military Science at McGhee-Tyson ANGB, Tenn., in 1982. He attended Undergraduate Navigator Training at Mather AFB, Calif., in 1982. Upon graduation from UNT, he was assigned to the 139th Tactical Airlift Squadron at Stratton ANGB, Scotia, N.Y., where he became an LC-130 navigator. He remained a traditional guardsman while working fulltime as an accounts payable supervisor for the New York State Senate. Colonel Clouthier was upgraded to an instructor navigator in 1999 and evaluator navigator in 2000. After working 13 years in the New York State Senate, he became a fulltime member of the 109th Airlift Wing as a U.S. Antarctic Program AGR. He became a federal technician at the 109th in 1999. He graduated from Maintenance Officer School at Sheppard AFB, Texas, in 2007. He became the Maintenance Squadron Commander in May of 2009 and officially assumed the position of Deputy Maintenance Group Commander on July 17, 2009. Two years later, Colonel Clouthier became the 109th Maintenance Group Commander.

Only a few months later, in August of 2011, he assumed the position of 109th Operations Group Commander.

Colonel Clouthier's awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Achievement Medal, the Combat Readiness Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Antarctica Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Humanitarian Service Medal.

Clouthier and his wife Janice have two daughters, Tori and Alexa.

Col. Timothy LaBarge:

Colonel LaBarge is the Commander of the 105th Airlift Wing, Stewart Air National Guard Base, New York as of 15 April 2012. Colonel LaBarge was the wing commander of the 109th Airlift Wing from June 2010 to April 2012, and the Vice Commander at the 109th from 2008 to 2010. Colonel LaBarge previously served as the Director of Staff – Air Component, Headquarters, New York Air National Guard. As the DS, Col LaBarge was the principal advisor to the Adjutant General and/or Assistant Adjutant on a broad range of matters concerning the United States Air Force and Air National Guard. He also served as the state headquarters chief of staff or chief executive officer. He also served in the Directorate of Total Force Integration, Air Force Strategic Planning, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. As a Subject Matter Expert in the Mission Development Division, he worked with the Air Staff, MAJCOMs, the National Guard Bureau, Air Directorate, Joint Directorate and the Air Force Reserve to develop initiatives that maximize the Air Force's overall combat capabilities and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of all Air Force components.

LaBarge received his Air Force commission through Officer Training School program in 1983. He has served as a T-37 Instructor Pilot, Wing Flight Examiner / Spin Pilot, C-5 Instructor Pilot and Flight Examiner. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Lawrence University. Col. LaBarge joined the New York Air National Guard in 1992 where he served as Instructor/Examiner Pilot, Squadron Operations Officer, Chief, Standardization / Evaluation and Chief, Wing Command Post. He has served at the Headquarters New York Air National Guard and at Headquarters United States Air Force. Colonel LaBarge is a command pilot with over 5500 hours in the T-37, T-38 and C-5 and has flown combat and combat support missions in Operations Desert Shield / Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

LaBarge's awards include the 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, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, 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, and a grand-daughter named Tayler.