Galway resident, Col. Steven Slosek, takes command of Air Guard's 109th Airlift Wing during June 8 ceremony

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Col. Steven Slosek

STRATTON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, SCOTIA, NEW YORK (06/05/2025) (readMedia)-- New York Air National Col. Steven Slosek, a Galway resident, will take command of the 109th Airlift Wing during a ceremony at Stratton Air National Guard Base on Sunday, June 8.

Slosek will replace Col. Robert Donaldson, a resident of Greenfield Center, who has led the wing since March of 2024.

Donaldson is retiring after 34 years of service.

Members of the press are invited to attend the ceremony.

WHO: Major General Robert Bank, the commander of the New York Air National Guard and the presiding officer for the ceremony; Col. Steven Slosek, the incoming commander, Col. Robert Donaldson, the outgoing commander;, and the men and women of the 109th Airlift Wing.

WHAT: A traditional change of command ceremony, during which the guidon of the wing will be transferred from Donaldson to Bank and then to Slosek. The ceremony symbolizes the transition from one commander to another.

WHEN: Reporters must be at the Stratton Air National Guard gate no later than 9 a.m. on Sunday, June 8, 2025

WHERE: Stratton Air National Guard Base, 1 Air National Guard Rd., Scotia, NY, 12302

Members of the media must contact the 109th Airlift Wing public affairs office at 518-344-2021 no later than 3 p.m. on Friday, June 6 for access to this secure military facility.

Media Opportunity:

Reporters will be able to collect still imagery and video of the ceremony. The incoming and outgoing commanders will be available for interviews.

BACKGROUND:

Col. Steven Slosek

Colonel Steven Slosek entered the Air Force in 2001 through Air Force ROTC at Syracuse University.

Slosek, a navigator, served in the Active Air Force from 2001 to 2008 before transferring to the New York Air National Guard and the 109th Airlift Wing. He served at Warner Robbins Air Force Base and Randolph Air Force Base.

He has served as a navigator instructor and an evaluator navigator and has logged 4,300 hours as a navigator in LC-130, C-130 and the E-8 JSTARS.

Slosek commanded the 109th Operations Group before becoming the wing commander. He has also served as the 139th Airlift Squadron Commander, Air Expeditionary Group Commander for Joint Task Forces Support Forces Antarctica, and deployed commander for Greenland operations.

He has served as LC-130 chief of tactics, chief of flight scheduling, unit deployment manager and Antarctic Plans Officer.

Slosek was also lead planner for three Joint Multinational Exercises involving Canadian, Danish and U.S. Arctic operations.

He has deployed four times to Al Udied Air Base in Qatar and once to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan in support of the Global War On Terror.

Slosek is a graduate of a number of military schools, including the Air Command and Staff College.

His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal, and Antarctic Service Medal.

Col. Robert Donaldson

Col. Robert Donaldson, Greenfield Center resident, is an LC-130H Navigator with nearly 2,000 flying hours supporting operations in Antarctica and Greenland and mobilizing in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in the Middle East.

Donaldson has served as Deputy Wing Commander of the 109th Airlift Wing , as well as in positions at the National Guard Bureau. He also served as Director of Staff at New York's Joint Force Headquarters in Latham, New York.

Donaldson was commissioned in 1999 from the Academy of Military Science after serving eight years as an enlisted aircrew member with the US Air Force and the New York Air National Guard.

His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Air & Space Organizational Excellence Award, National Defense Service Medal with bronze Service Star, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

The 109th Airlift Wing

The primary mission of the 109th Airlift Wing is to provide airlift within Antarctica, flying to various remote locations from McMurdo Station. Crews transport scientists, support, fuel, supplies, medical supplies, and research equipment across the continent. The wing also flies missions to support science research in Greenland.

The wing operates 10 LC-130 Hercules transports configured with skies to land on ice and snow. These are the largest aircraft in the world with that capability.

The unique capabilities of the ski-equipped LC-130 aircraft make it the only one of its kind in the U.S. military, able to land on snow and ice.