Air National Guard director visits AOR

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Lt. Gen. L. Scott Rice, Air National Guard director and Chief Master Sgt. Ronald Anderson, ANG command chief, paid a visit to Guardsmen currently attached to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing on Christmas day at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia.

During their visit, Rice recognized exemplary performers and was given an intelligence brief on 737th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron operations.

Guardsmen from Georgia and Wyoming are currently attached to the 386th AEW, actively supporting a federal mission in the area of responsibility, contributing to the overall mission.

“Over the past two months, we've been asked to increase the number of sorties and support targeted aircraft surge in operations,” said Col. Todd Bean, 386th Expeditionary Maintenance Group commander. “Our maintenance teams embraced the increased requirements and generated the airpower which directly contributes to the success of Operation Inherent Resolve.

The Guardsmen said they were grateful for the visit.

“We talked about how my deployment was going so far and how it's been easy because of all the great guys I work with,” said Senior Airman Evan Boggs, 386th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron aircraft structural maintainer. “He wanted to know about my wife, home life, and future plans in the military. He was extremely personable and easy to talk with; to meet and talk with him was definitely one of the biggest highlights of my career.”

Boggs is deployed from the 165th Airlift Wing, Travis Field, Georgia and this is his first deployment.

“The total force integration Airmen under my command, have executed their duties with honor and excellence,” Bean concluded.

Rice is responsible for formulating, developing, and coordinating all policies, plans, and programs affecting more than 105,500 Guard members and civilians in more than 90 wings and 175 geographically separated units across 213 locations.