Portland OR ANG F-15 Takeoff - 142nd FW - Col Pirak's Fini Flight

Click to subscribe! http://bit.ly/subAIRBOYD

The Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Fighter Wing, located at the Portland Air National Guard Base, welcomed a new commander during a change of command ceremony on Aug. 5, at 2:00 p.m.

Col. Adam R. Sitler replaced Col. Duke A. Pirak as the Fighter Wing Commander, overseeing over 1,400 personnel who provide operational combat power and emergency response to the United States and the State of Oregon. The 142nd Fighter Wing additionally provides constant Aerospace Control Alert posture with their F-15 aircraft in defense of the Pacific Northwest.

Attending the ceremony are: Maj. Gen. Michael E. Stencel, The Adjutant General, Oregon; Brig. Gen. James R. Kriesel, Commander, Oregon Air National Guard; and Chief Master Sgt. Nikese R. Swift, 142nd Fighter Wing Command Chief.

Colonel Sitler was commissioned in May 1996 after graduating from the United States Air Force (USAF) Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. Upon completion of Undergraduate Pilot Training and F-15 Training, he was assigned to the 493rd Fighter Squadron at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom. He served as a Combat Mission Ready Wingman, Flight-Lead, Mission Commander, and Instructor Pilot, including combat missions flown in Operation Allied Force and Operation Southern Watch. In 2001 he was assigned to the 71st Fighter Squadron at Langley Air Force Base (AFB), Va. He served as a Combat Mission Ready Instructor Pilot and Weapons Officer after completing the United States Air Force Weapons School in 2003. In 2004 he was assigned to the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla. where he served as the Chief of F-15 Projects.

Colonel Sitler separated from the Active Component of the Air Force in January 2007 and joined the 142d Fighter Wing, Oregon Air National Guard. He has served as Squadron and Wing Weapons Officer, Flight Commander, Squadron Operations Officer, Wing Consolidated Unit Inspection Project Officer, Fighter Squadron Commander, Operations Group Commander, and most recently Vice Wing Commander.

Colonel Pirak served as the 142nd Fighter Wing Commander from 6 November 2016 to 5 August 2018. During this period Col Pirak immediately instituted a review of the 142nd Fighter Wing Flying Hour Program. This led to a dramatic increase in sortie generation within six months of his tenure, enabling a nearly three-fold increase in the number of pilots achieving the highest level of mission readiness. As the leader of the Air Superiority Weapons Systems Council, Colonel Pirak made strategic level impacts across a broad range of issues facing all Air National Guard F-15 and F-22 Wings. He led a series of national level engagements, including a grassroots effort to educate and inform Congressional staff members on the urgent need for a comprehensive F-15 sustainment and modernization roadmap. During his tenure as the 142nd Fighter Wing Commander, the Wing completed six major flying deployments, including a Theater Security Package to the European Command Area of Responsibility, in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

Video by Senior Airman Alexander Frank 142nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

AIRBOYD - The most viewed aviation channel on YouTube.

#ORANG #F15 #PDX #Intercept #142FW #NORAD