Change of Command

Brig. Gen. Deborah McManus, commander of the Alaska Air National Guard receives a salute from Col. Donald ?Scott? Wenke April 5 at the base theater while 168th Air Refueling Wing Command Chief Master Sgt. Stephen Fuller holds the unit guideon. The passing of the guideon from one commander to the next is a military tradition which symbolizes the changing of command. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Guy Hayes, DMVA Public Affairs)

Change of Command

Col. John O. Griffin relinquishes command of the 168th Air Refueling Wing to Alaska Air National Guard Commander Brig. Gen. Deborah McManus April 5 at the base theater. Griffin was commander of the Alaska Air National Guard?s 168th Air Refueling Wing since August 2006. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Guy Hayes, DMVA Public Affairs)

Alaska Air National Guard Gains New Wing Commander

Published April 7, 2008

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- Colonel Donald "Scott" Wenke takes command of Alaska Air National Guard's 168th Air Refueling Wing

Members of the Alaska Air National Guard's 168th Air Refueling Wing welcomed their new commander, Col. Donald "Scott" Wenke and said goodbye to Col. John O. Griffin in a change of command ceremony Saturday.

"The Alaska National Guard is grateful for the service and leadership Col. Griffin has provided," said Maj. Gen. Craig E. Campbell, adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard. "The 168th Air Refueling Wing is a stronger unit because of him, and we thank him for helping shape one of Alaska's finest military components. We look forward to working with Col. Wenke and expect continued strong leadership to take us into the future."

Col. Wenke recently served as vice-commander of the Alaska Air National Guard's 168th Wing. While assigned to the 168th, he served in Southwest Asia as the Commander of the 379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron and Director of the Joint Operations Center, 384th Air Expeditionary Wing, in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. He is a command pilot with more than 4,500 hours of flight time, which includes 326 combat flying hours.

"I look forward to working with Col. Wenke as the Alaska Air National Guard embarks on a new vector of future missions and takes on new challenges. It's an exciting time for the Alaska Air National Guard," said Brig. Gen. Deborah McManus, the Alaska Air National Guard commander. "I appreciate Col. Griffin's contributions to the 168th and Clear Air Station and we wish him well in his future endeavors."

The 168th Air Refueling Wing is home to more than 675 airmen and eight KC-135R Stratotankers. The Wing also acts as a primary administrative support for Clear Air Force Station, Alaska.