Col. Timothy LaBarge Named New Commander of 109th Airlift Wing

27-Year Air Force and Air National Guard Veteran Replaces Col. Anthony German on June 12

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Col. Timothy LaBarge

STRATTON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, SCOTIA, NY (05/16/2010)(readMedia)-- Col. Timothy LaBarge, a 27-year veteran of the United States Air Force and the New York Air National Guard, with over 5,000 hours of flight time, has been tapped to become the commander of the 109th Airlift Wing. He is a veteran of the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

LaBarge, who is currently serving as the Wing Vice Commander, joined the New York Air National Guard in 1992. He has flown the giant C-5 Galaxy, the C-103 Hercules and the ski-equipped LC-130's operated only by the 109th Airlift Wing to support missions in the Arctic and Antarctic.

"It is truly an honor to have been selected to lead a unit as distinguished and accomplished as the 109th Airlift Wing," LaBarge said.

" This honor, though, is not about me. This selection is about ensuring that the profound professionals here at Stratton ANGB have the tools to carry on the legacy of success," he added.

Whether operating in the world's harshest and most remote environment in Antarctica, deploying in support of Overseas Contingency Operations or doing the great state of New York's work, the men and women of the 109th AW know only unwavering professionalism and dedication and I am honored to work with them," LaBarge said.

LaBarge will take over from the current commander, Col. Anthony German, in a June 12 ceremony at the air base. German has been selected to serve as Assistant Adjutant General for the New York National Guard.

Col Timothy LaBarge:

LaBarge has served as 109th Vice Commander since 2008. Prior to that he was Director of Staff and Deputy Director of Operations for Headquarters, New York Air National Guard in Latham. From 2006 to 2007 he served as a staff officer in the Director of Total Force Integration at Air Force headquarters in Washington.

From 1991 to 2006, LaBarge served in a number of positions with the 105th Airlift Wing at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh. These included C-5A instructor pilot, squadron operations officer, and Chief of the Wing Command Post.

While in the Active Air Force LaBarge served as an instructor and evaluation pilot and flight commander at Reese Air Force Base in Texas.

He joined the Air Force in December 1983 after graduating from St. Lawrence University in Canton with a degree in biology.

His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Southwest Asian Service Medal, the Kuwait Liberation Medal, the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal and the Combat Readiness Medal.

He is a graduate of Command and General Staff College and the Air War College.

LaBarge and his wife Petra reside in Tupper Lake. He has two college-age daughters Lyndsay, and Emily and a grand daughter named Tayler.

Col. Anthony German:

Col. Anthony German, the outgoing commander of the 109th Airlift Wing has led the unit since 2006. He is an evaluator navigator with over 4,600 hours in the air.

After graduating from SUNY Oneonta in 1981, German served on Active Duty at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina prior to joining the New York Air National Guard and the 109th Airlift Wing in 1989. He served in a variety of jobs in the Wing to include Chief of Operations and Chief of Tactics for the 139th Airlift Squadron of the 109th Airlift Wing.

He served as Air National Guard liaison officer to the National Science Foundation, which the wing flies missions for, and also attended the Naval War College at Newport, Rhode Island. In 2003 and 2004 he served as Department of Defense liaison officer to the National Science Foundation.

His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Antarctic Medal, the Combat Readiness Medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal.

The 109th Airlift Wing:

The 109th Airlift Wing is one of five flying units of the New York Air National Guard (NYANG) 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.

The Wing's 1,000 men and women regularly supply the United States science station at the South Pole and have also flown airlift missions into and out of Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.