The New York Air Guard activates Recruiting Squadron During July 29 ceremony at Latham headquarters

LATHAM, NY (07/28/2026) (readMedia)-- The New York Air National Guard will activate a Recruiting and Retention Squadronduring a morning ceremony at New York National Guard headquarters in Latham on Wednesday, July 29. This is a new unit for the Air National Guard.

Members of the press are invited to cover this event.

WHO: Major General Ray Shields, the adjutant general of New York; Major General Gary Charlton II, the commander of the New York Air National Guard, Major Joshua Bowers, Recruiting and Retention Squadron commander, and the men and women of the New York Air National Guard.

WHAT: Activation of the New York Air National Guard Recruiting and Retention Squadron. Major Joshua Bowers will assume command of this element during a short ceremony.

Previously New York Air National Guard recruiters have been assigned to the five Air Guard wings and the Eastern Air Defense Sector. Now they will all be consolidated into one unit.

Other state Air Guards are creating similar units, but they are all designated as "flights". The New York Air Guard merits a squadron because it has more Airmen authorized -- at 5,748 officers and enlisted Airman-- than any other state Air Guard.

WHEN: 11 a.m., Wednesday, July 29, 2026

WHERE: New York National Guard headquarters at 330 Old Niskayuna Road, Latham.

Members of the press must contact the New York National Guard Public Affairs Office at 518-786-4581 prior to 10:45 a.m. in July 29 for access to this secure military facility.

Coverage Opportunities:

Press can capture still and video imagery of the ceremony. Key New York National Guard leaders and Major Joshua Bowers, the commander of the new squadron, can be interviewed.

BACKGROUND:

New York Air National Guard recruiting efforts have previously been concentrated at the level of New York's five wings and the Eastern Air Defense Sector. Each wing's recruiters were responsible for recruiting for their unit.

The Army National Guard, meanwhile, has long used a centralized Recruiting and Retention Battalion organization to recruit across the state.

Beginning in 2025, the New York Air National Guard organized an unofficial, ad hoc centralized recruiting organization to coordinate recruiting efforts. New York also provided additional funds to increase Air National Guard recruiting efforts.

Meanwhile, the Air National Guard as a whole, with a directive to reach its authorized strength of 106,300 from a current assigned strength of 105,200 Airmen, authorized the creation of centralized recruiting efforts across the 54 state and territorial Air Guards.

The New York Air National Guard with 38 recruiters, a headquarters force and retention specialists, is the largest of these elements. While other states are fielding recruiting and retention flights, New York is authorized a squadron.

According to Major Joshua Bowers, the commander of the recruiting squadron, 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 hs more Airmen assigned than any other Air Guard in the United States.

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 world-wide, 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 mission, air war planning, signal tower construction, and orchestrate joint ground attack missions.