New York Air Guard stands up first dedicated statewide recruiting unit

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Maj. Gen. Ray Shields, the adjutant general of New York, presents the guidon of the Air Guard Recruiting Squadron to its commander, Major Josh Bowers.

LATHAM, NEW YORK (07/29/2026) (readMedia)-- Major Joshua Bowers, a Ballston Lake resident, assumed command of the newly created New York Air National Guard Recruiting and Retention Squadron during a Wednesday, July 29 ceremony at New York National Guard headquarters in Latham.

Previously, the New York Air Guard's recruiters had worked for the five New York Air Guard wings.

The 66 personnel in the squadron, including 38 recruiters, will now work directly for the commander of the New York Air National Guard, Major Gen. Gary Charlton II.

Nationally, all 54 state and territory Air Guards are creating dedicated statewide recruiting elements. But only New York is large enough to be designated as a squadron. The others are flights.

The goal, said Army Guard Major General Ray Shields, the adjutant general of New York, is to use the "synergy" of the statewide recruiting effort to bring more people into the New York Air National Guard.

"We are a people-focused organization," Shields said.

"Our people-service members, civilian employees, and contractors-are the very heart and soul of our organization," he said. "Without them we cannot do anything. "

"The new Recruiting and Retention Squadron takes our people-focused priority to a new level in the Air National Guard," Shields emphasized.

New York created an ad hoc recruiting "concept squadron" in 2025 and immediately saw results, Shields said.

The New York Air National Guard now stands at almost 103 percent of authorized strength, he said. And in 2026, New York's Air Guard is leading the nation with 477 new recruits, Shields added.

In his remarks, Bowers acknowledged Shield's emphasis on the importance of recruiting.

"Filling the ranks is pivotal to our state and national defense," Bowers said.

"Without the right people in those seats, our aircraft won't fly, our supply lines will seize, and our communities don't get disaster relief when crisis strikes," he added.

The Air National Guard as a whole, with a directive to reach its authorized strength of 106,700 from an assigned strength of 103,605 Airmen, authorized the creation of centralized recruiting efforts across the 54 state and territorial Air Guards.

According to Bowers, the New York Air National Guard, with an assigned strength of 5,908 personnel, is at 102.8 percent of its authorized strength of 5,748 Airmen.

Working as a statewide recruiting force will allow the Air Guard recruiters to allocate more resources to a particular wing to help fill specific job requirements, Bowers explained.

An individual in Buffalo may not be able to find a slot in Niagara Fall's 107th Attack Wing, but there may be space for them in the 174th Attack Wing in Syracuse, he said.

The recruiters will also be able to help find positions in other state's Air Guard for people if there is no space in their local New York Air Guard unit, he pointed out.

With five flying wings and the Eastern Air Defense Sector, New York boasts the largest Air National Guard in the country.

The 107th and 174th Attack Wings operate the MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft, while the 109th Airlift Wing flies the largest ski-equipped aircraft in the world.

The 105th Airlift Wing flies strategic airlift missions worldwide, while the 106th Rescue Wing is equipped for land and water rescues and missions behind enemy lines.

The Eastern Air Defense Sector is responsible for the air defense of the United States east of the Mississippi River, and smaller New York Air National Guard units conduct space operations missions, air war planning, signal tower construction, and orchestrate joint ground attack missions.

Note: Photographs of this event can be found on the New York National Guard FLCKR Site: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nyng/albums/72177720334921219/