Prospect resident Col. Jennifer King is new commander of the 224th Air Defense Group

Col. Jennifer L. King of Prospect, New York became the commander of the 224th Air Defense Group on June 18 during a ceremony at the Eastern Air Defense Sector.

King took command from Col. Steven H. Rathmell, who is retiring after 30 years of service. Brig. Gen. Michael W. Bank, the New York Air National Guard commander, was the ceremony's presiding officer.

King joined the Air Force in 2003. After completing air battle manager training at Tyndall AFB, Florida, she served with the 965th Air Control Squadron at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, where she was an air weapons officer, air surveillance officer, flight scheduler, and surveillance flight commander. In 2009, King returned to Tyndall AFB as a member of the 325th Air Control Squadron, where she was an instructor air battle manager, operations training officer and executive officer.

King joined to the New York Air National Guard in 2011 and was assigned to EADS. Since joining EADS, she has held several positions, including air weapons officer, senior director, mission crew commander, flight commander, operations director and joint interface control officer. As the JICO, King simultaneously worked in the Air Force Command and Control Requirements Office, where she managed advanced sensor integration, integrated fire control, and joint combat identification projects.

While serving as a flight commander, King led her team to the Air National Guard's Ground-Based Battle Management Command and Control Crew of the Year award.

King has won several individual awards as well. She has been the top graduate or distinguished graduate at six Air Force courses, including Squadron Officer School, and graduated from Air Command and Staff College with outstanding distinction. She has won the Air National Guard Air Battle Manager of the Year and the Continental U.S. NORAD Region Command and Control Warrior of the Year awards. King also received the CONR and NORAD outstanding field grade officer awards in 2021.

Prior to taking command of the Air Defense Group, King was the 224th Air Defense Squadron commander.

The Eastern Air Defense Sector, headquartered in Rome, N.Y., is part of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and is responsible for the air defense of the homeland. The 224th ADG, an independent, wing-equivalent group of the New York Air National Guard, is located at EADS and provides the forces to conduct the air defense mission.

The 224th ADG has several squadrons and detachments. The 224th ADS, the 224th Support Squadron, the 224th Security Forces Squadron and a Royal Canadian Air Force detachment serve in Rome. Two geographically separated units, the 223rd ADS and the National Capital Region Coordination Center detachment, serve in the Washington, D.C. area.

For more information about the New York Air National Guard, visit www.dmna.ny.gov. For more information on the Eastern Air Defense Sector and the 224th Air Defense Group, visit www.eads.ang.af.mil.

To view these members click here: https://dmna-ny.meritpages.com/achievements/Prospect-resident-Col-Jennifer-King-is-new-commander-of-the-224th-Air-Defense-Group/178935