180th Fighter Wing Command Post Controller, Tech. Sgt. Levi Shadle, has been recognized as the best of the best for the fifth time in four years.

Master Sgt. Beth Holliker

Airman is best-of-the-best five years in a row
180th Fighter Wing Ohio National Guard

SWANTON, Ohio - 180th Fighter Wing Command Post Controller, Tech. Sgt. Levi Shadle, has been recognized as the best of the best for the fifth time in four years.

Shadle was recently named as the 2012 Continental United States North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, First Air Force and Air Force Northern Command’s Aerospace Control Alert Command Post Controller of the Year.

True to the 180th FW’s mission statement, to be The Best Fighter Wing in the World, the wing has a long history of top performing Airmen at the Air National Guard and Air Force levels. Again, this year, Shadle brought the wing another step closer to helping the wing accomplish that mission.

Driven to serve after the horrific attacks on our country Sept. 11, 2001, Shadle enlisted in the active duty Air Force in April 2003 as a Command post controller. He spent the first year of his career at Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, followed by technical training at Keesler AFB, Miss. After completing his initial training, Shadle spent two years in the command post section of the 305th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire AFB, N.J., before transferring to the Ohio Air National Guard’s 180th FW in 2006.

Southwest Asia airfield operations April 21, 2013

An Air Mobility Command C-17 Globemaster III deployed from Dover Air Force Base, Del. kicks up sand as it taxis down the runway at the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing

 The C-17 Globemaster III is the newest, most flexible cargo aircraft to enter the airlift force and is capable of rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in the deployment area.

An Air Mobility Command C-17 Globemaster III deployed from Dover Air Force Base, Del. taxis down the runway at the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia

An Air Mobility Command C-17 Globemaster III deployed from Dover Air Force Base, Del. taxis down the runway at the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia

An Air Mobility Command C-17 Globemaster III deployed from Dover Air Force Base, Del. taxis down the runway at the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia

Five CH-47 Chinook heavy lift helicopters will be delivered to the New York Army National Guard Aviation Support Facility at Rochester International Airport, April 22.

CH-47s delivered to Army Guard Flight Facility in Rochester, April 22


ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Five CH-47 Chinook heavy lift helicopters will be delivered to the New York Army National Guard Aviation Support Facility at Rochester International Airport, April 22.

The aircraft will arrive on board a C-17 on Monday morning, offloading on CH-47 and the other Chinooks will be delivered on board two Air Force C-5 Galaxies-the largest aircraft in the U.S. military.

The CH-47 helicopter is a twin-rotor craft capable of hauling more than 30 Soldiers and 28,000 pounds of cargo. The helicopter has proven itself invaluable in Afghanistan where the dual engines and rotors allow it to function well in high mountains.

The helicopters will be operated by soldiers of the New York Army National Guard's Detachment 1 of Company B, 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation which is stationed at the Patriot Way Armory adjacent to the flight facility. The unit's 60 members are finishing up a nine-month deployment to Afghanistan where they flew CH-47s. They are expected to return to Fort Hood, Texas and begin demobilization during the second week of May.

The CH-47s will replace the aircraft that the detachment originally took to Afghanistan as those helicopters are refurbished.

During the unit's Afghanistan deployment, one CH-47 remained stationed at the flight facility and was available for state emergency missions.

"The delivery of these CH-47 Chinooks to Rochester is good news for the New York Army National Guard," said Major General Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York. "These aircraft are incredibly capable and can be invaluable in responding to emergencies here at home as well as in a combat zone."