|
CONTACT: Leslie Westmont | ng.wi.wiarng.mbx.wi-pao@army.mil | 608-242-3051
To view html content with hi-res photos, copy and paste the following link in your browser: https://wi.ng.mil/News/View/Article/4405895
by Paul Gorman
MADISON, Wis. – U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Bart Van Roo, former director of strategic plans and operations for the state of Wisconsin, assumed command of the Wisconsin Air National Guard during a ceremony at Truax Field, Jan. 7.
As Wisconsin’s deputy adjutant general for Air, Van Roo is now responsible for more than 2,300 personnel serving in two flying wings and a combat readiness training center, and will serve as chief advisor to the state’s adjutant general on all aspects of Wisconsin Air National Guard operations.
Van Roo began his military career in 1992 as an enlisted aeromedical specialist with the 115th Fighter Wing in Madison, before commissioning in April 1999. He completed specialized undergraduate pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, in 2000, followed by the F-16 Training Course at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. After returning to the 115th Fighter Wing, he held a series of key roles within the wing’s Operations Group, to include his appointment as commander of the 176th Fighter Squadron in 2017, and served multiple combat tours in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and Noble Eagle. In September 2020, Van Roo assumed command of the 115th Fighter Wing, leading the organization through its conversion from the F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft to the F-35A Lightning II aircraft. In 2024, he transferred to the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs to serve as the state director of strategic plans and operations.
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Matthew Strub, Wisconsin’s adjutant general and presiding official for the change of command ceremony, began by recognizing the accomplishments of Brig. Gen. Erik Peterson, outgoing deputy adjutant general for Air.
“As you step into retirement, I hope you take with you the knowledge that you’ve left this organization stronger than you found it,” said Strub. “You’ve shaped careers, strengthened units and helped guide the Wisconsin Air National Guard through some of its most demanding years. We’re grateful – truly grateful – for your service and your leadership.”
Prior to passing the colors, a tradition symbolizing the exchange of authority between outgoing and incoming commanders, Peterson addressed the Airmen in attendance.
“It has been the greatest privilege of my professional life to serve alongside you,” he stated. “Your dedication, your spirit, and your commitment to our state and nation are unparalleled. I depart with full confidence that the Wisconsin Air National Guard is in the exceptionally capable hands of Brig. Gen. Bart Van Roo and will continue its legacy of excellence.”
Following the formal change of command, Van Roo thanked Strub for his confidence in him and relayed his personal commitment to the Airmen he will now lead.
“My loyalty is to the Airmen in this hangar and across the state. No one is more invested in the success of you and the Wisconsin Air National Guard than I am,” he said. “I will listen, I will lead with humility, I will trust your advice, and I will empower you to be the best warfighters and leaders you can be.”
Strub concluded by addressing the increasing challenges and shifting strategies the National Guard will continue to face moving forward, along with his confidence in Wisconsin’s Airmen to meet them head-on.
“This transition is taking place at a time when the Wisconsin Air National Guard has never been more capable or more essential,” he remarked. “We’re embracing new technologies, new mission sets and new ways of thinking. We’re preparing our Airmen for a world that’s changing fast, and we’re doing it without losing the values that have always grounded us – service, integrity and respect for one another.”
FLICKR ALBUM: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCKe8Z
|
