SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq -- Col. Fred Cheney (left) the 447th Air Expeditionary Group commander, passes the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron's guide on to New York Air National Guardsman Lt. Col. Carey Merritt, the 447 ECES commander, during a change of command ceremony held on May 10. Merritt is deployed from the 174th Mission Support Group, New York Air National Guard, where he commands the 174th's Civil Engineering Squadron.
Sather Air Base, located alongside Baghdad International Airport is named after Staff Sgt. SCott Sather, the first Airman to die during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
DMNA Press Releases
NY National Guard In the News
Governing -- Wed, 14 May 2025 The Surprisingly Expansive Role of the National Guard While primarily a military reserve force, the National Guard also responds to a wide variety of state-level missions some familiar kinds of missions, some more unusual. In Brief: Workforce... (more)
Newsday -- Wed, 14 May 2025 106th Rescue Wing in Westhampton Beach to get first helicopter training simulator in Northeast, mimicking perilous conditions Pilots stationed at the New York Air National Guards 106th Rescue Wing in Westhampton Beach will soon be able to safely train for a host of perilous conditions, as the base at Francis S. Gabreski... (more)
Times Union -- Tue, 13 May 2025 Duty Calls: 105th Airlift Wing airman earns top Air Force recruiter award New York Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Franklin Angel has received a Blue Suit Award for being one of the Air Forces top recruiters.