New York Air National Guard - NYANG Commander, Major General Michael Bank

Major General Michael Bank

Commander, New York Air National Guard

Maj Gen Michael W. Bank is Commander and Assistant Adjutant General of the New York Air National Guard. He is responsible for mission readiness and operational effectiveness across a broad spectrum of programs and activities encompassing over 5,800 people assigned to five flying Wings and four Geographically Separated Units.

Additionally, Maj Gen Bank serves as the Air National Guard Advisor to the Air Mobility Command Inspector General, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. In this unique ‘Dual- Hat’ position, General Bank provides critical insight, support, and advisement to ensure AMC and AMC-gained units meet necessary readiness levels to accomplish both nuclear and conventional mission taskings.

Major General Bank earned his commission in 1988 through the four-year Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Florida State University while attending Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University where he received a Bachelor’s of Computer and Information Systems degree. While on Active Duty, General Bank was an Instructor Navigator assigned to the 644th Bomb Squadron at K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base. He joined the New York Air National Guard at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station in 1994 and has held numerous positions, including Chief of Wing Plans, Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Commander, 136th Airlift Squadron Commander, Operations Group Commander, and Wing Vice-Commander. Major General Bank is a former senior navigator in the B-52H and KC-135R with over 1,800 total flight hours and is currently a Command Pilot with over 5,000 total flight hours. He deployed to Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Deliberate Forge, Northern Watch, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. Prior to his current position, the General was the Commander, 106th Rescue Wing, F.S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base, Westhampton Beach, New York.

EDUCATION

1988: Bachelor of Science in Computer and Information Science, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Tallahassee, FL.
1996: Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2002: Air Command Staff College, by correspondence
2006: Air War College, by correspondence
2014: Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2017: Joint Task Force Commander Training Course, Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2017: National Security Studies Management Course, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.
2018: Dual Status Commander Course, Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2018: Joint Domestic Operations Course, Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2020: Director of Mobility Forces Course, by correspondence
2020: Joint Air Component Coordinating Element Course, Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, N.Y.
2021: Latin America Seminar, by correspondence
2018: Dual Status Commander Course, Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2018: Joint Domestic Operations Course, Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2020: Director of Mobility Forces Course, by correspondence
2020: Joint Air Component Coordinating Element Course, Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, N.Y.
2021: Latin America Seminar, by correspondence
2021: Joint Air Component Coordinating Element Course, Osan AB, Republic of South Korea
2024: Senior Leader Orientation Course, Andrews AFB, Md.

ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY

1. October 1988 – July 1989: Student, Undergraduate Navigator Training, 323d Flying Training Wing, Mather Air Force Base, Calif.
2. July 1989 – February 1990: Student, B-52 Navigator Initial Qualification, 29th Combat Crew Training Squadron, Castle AFB, Calif.
3. February 1990 - September 1991: B-52H Navigator, 644th Bomb Squadron, K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Mich.
4. September 1991 - September 1992: B-52H Instructor Navigator, 644th Bomb Squadron, K.I. Sawyer AFB, Mich.
5. September 1992 - August 1994: B-52H Radar Navigator, 644th Bomb Squadron, K.I. Sawyer AFB, Mich.
6. September 1994 - May 1998: KC-135R Navigator, 136th Air Refueling Squadron, New York ANG, Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, N.Y.
7. May 1998 - May 1999: Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, 47th Flying Training Wing, Laughlin AFB, Texas
8. May 1999 - May 2002: KC-135 Co-Pilot, 136th Air Refueling Squadron, Niagara Falls ARS, N.Y.
9. May 2002 - May 2005: KC-135 Pilot, 136th Air Refueling Squadron, New York Air National Guard, Niagara Falls ARS, N.Y.
10. May 2005 - January 2007: Commander, 107th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, NY ANG, Niagara Falls ARS, N.Y.
11. February 2007 - January 2008: Operations Officer, KC-135 Pilot, 136th Air Refueling Squadron, NY ANG, Niagara Falls ARS, N.Y.
12. February 2008 - December 2012: Commander, 136th Airlift Squadron, NY ANG, Niagara Falls ARS, N.Y.
13. December 2012 - December 2014: Commander, 107th Operations Group, NY ANG, Niagara Falls ARS, N.Y.
14. December 2014 - December 2015: Vice-Commander, 107th Airlift Wing, NY ANG, Niagara Falls ARS, N.Y.
15. December 2015 - June 2020: Commander, 106th Rescue Wing, NY ANG, F.S. Gabreski ANG Base, Westhampton Beach, N.Y.
16. June 2020 – June 2024: Assistant Adjutant General NY ANG, Joint Force Headquarters, Latham, N.Y.; dual-hatted
17. February 2021 – May 2021: Dual Status Commander for the Governor, New York, N.Y., dual-hatted
18. June 2021 – Sept 2024: Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, United States Air Force Expeditionary Center, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.
19. June 2024 – Present: Commander, New York Air National Guard and Assistant Adjutant General – Air, Joint Force Headquarters, Latham, N.Y.
20. July 2024 – Present: Air National Guard Assistant to Air Mobility Command Inspector General, Scott Air Force Base, Ill

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 5,000
Aircraft flown: B-52H, KC-135R, C-130H, HC-130J, T-1, T-37

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Meritorious Unit Award
National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star
Southwest Asia Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border and two oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver hourglass, ‘M’ device and 3 numeral
NATO medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION [MILITARY ONLY]

Second Lieutenant July 15, 1988
First Lieutenant July 15, 1990
Captain July 15, 1992
Major March 21, 1997
Lieutenant Colonel Jan. 21, 2003
Colonel Jan. 24, 2013
Brigadier General June 5, 2020
Major General July 31, 2024