CONTACT: Lt.Col. Jody Ankabrandt, (518) 542-7106 (cell)

FOR RELEASE: Thursday, Jun 10, 2010

ON SITE: Lt.Col. Jody Ankabrandt, (518) 542-7106 (cell)

STRATTON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, SCOTIA, NY (06/09/2010--Col. Timothy LaBarge, the incoming commander of the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing and Col. Anthony German, the outgoing commander, will be available to the media at 11 a.m. on Thursday, June 10. A formal change of command ceremony will be held on Saturday June 12, and the press is welcome to cover that event, but because of the formal nature of the ceremony, Colonels LaBarge and German will not be available for interview then. WHO: Colonel Timothy LaBarge, the incoming commander; Colonel Anthony German, the outgoing commander. WHAT: An opportunity for interviews with Colonels LaBarge and German on Thursday, June 10, and the opportunity to collect imagery at a traditional change-of-command ceremony on Saturday June 12 in which Col. German will hand the Airlift Wing Flag, to Col. LaBarge to mark the transition from one commander to another. WHEN: 11 a.m. on Thursday June 10 for the interview opportunity. 2:00 p.m. Saturday, Jun 12, 2010 to cover the change-of-command ceremony. WHERE: The 109th Airlift Wing Conference Room on Thursday, June 10 and Hanger 7, on Saturday June 12 at Stratton Air National Guard Base, Scotia, NY 12302 For access to this secure military facility contact Lt. Col. Jody Ankabrandt, at (518) 542-7106 (cell). BACKGROUND: The Change of Command: The Change of Command ceremony is deeply rooted in military history and dates back to 18th Century Prussia. During that time, organizational flags were developed with color arrangements and symbols unique to each particular unit. The members of the unit would dedicate their loyalty and trust to the flag and to their commander. When a change of command was to take place, the flag would be passed to the individual assuming command. This ceremony was accomplished in front of the members of the unit, so that they could witness this outward and visible sign of the transfer of power and authority to the new commander. Col Timothy LaBarge: LaBarge has served as 109th Vice Commander since 2008. Prior to that he was Director of Staff and Deputy Director of Operations for Headquarters, New York Air National Guard in Latham. From 2006 to 2007 he served as a staff officer in the Director of Total Force Integration at Air Force headquarters in Washington. From 1991 to 2006, LaBarge served in a number of positions with the 105th Airlift Wing at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh. These included C-5A instructor pilot, squadron operations officer, and Chief of the Wing Command Post. While in the Active Air Force LaBarge served as an instructor and evaluation pilot and flight commander at Reese Air Force Base in Texas. He joined the Air Force in December 1983 after graduating from St. Lawrence University in Canton with a degree in biology. His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Southwest Asian Service Medal, the Kuwait Liberation Medal, the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal and the Combat Readiness Medal. He is a graduate of Command and General Staff College and the Air War College. LaBarge and his wife Petra reside in Tupper Lake. He has two college-age daughters Lyndsay, and Emily and a granddaughter named Tayler. Col. Anthony German: Col. Anthony German, the outgoing commander of the 109th Airlift Wing has led the unit since 2006. He is an evaluator navigator with over 4,600 hours in the air. After graduating from SUNY Oneonta in 1981, German served on Active Duty at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina prior to joining the New York Air National Guard and the 109th Airlift Wing in 1989. He served in a variety of jobs in the Wing to include Chief of Operations and Chief of Tactics for the 139th Airlift Squadron of the 109th Airlift Wing. He served as Air National Guard liaison officer to the National Science Foundation, which the wing flies missions for, and also attended the Naval War College at Newport, Rhode Island. In 2003 and 2004 he served as Department of Defense liaison officer to the National Science Foundation. His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Antarctic Medal, the Combat Readiness Medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal. The 109th Airlift Wing: The 109th Airlift Wing is one of five flying units of the New York Air National Guard (NYANG) that provides worldwide airlift support for operations as directed by the Air Mobility Command and the Air National Guard. It has the only ski-equipped C-130 aircraft in the Air Force and is the sole provider of heavy airlift in support of military and National Science Foundation directed operations in the Arctic and Antarctica Polar Regions. The Wing's 1,000 men and women regularly supply the United States science station at the South Pole and have also flown airlift missions into and out of Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.