From Fighters to Drones: The Mission Change of the 132nd Wing
Posted on: October 11, 2017 | By: grimes
When:
November 9, 2017 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
2017-11-09T18:00:00-06:00
2017-11-09T19:00:00-06:00
Where:
Grimes Public Library
In honor of Veteran’s Day, the Grimes Public Library welcomes Colonel Shawn D. Ford, Wing Commander of the 132d Wing, Iowa Air National Guard in Des Moines, as he speaks to us about the mission change of the 132d Wing from F-16 fighters to MQ-9 Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft, ISR Targeting, and Cyber Defense Operations. Colonel Ford will also talk about how to support friends, relatives, loved ones who are members, and how to support employees who are citizen-Airmen.
This event is free and open to the public.
Colonel Shawn D. Ford
Colonel Shawn D. Ford is the Wing Commander of 132d Wing, Iowa Air National Guard. He commands 926 Traditional, Active Guard Reserve, and Air Technician personnel responsible for Remote Piloted Aircraft, Intelligence Targeting, and Cyber Operations missions. He is responsible for training, equipping and preparing units and personnel in accordance with the Department of the Air Force and the State of Iowa and provides Airmen for active duty in times of war, national emergency, or other times as national security may require. Colonel Ford was commissioned in 1993 through the Reserve Officer Training Corp program at the University of Delaware. Following the completion of pilot training at Reese Air Force Base (AFB), Texas in 1995 and F-16 training at Luke AFB, AZ, he was assigned to Kunsan Air Base (AB), Korea. During his following tours at Mountain Home AFB (2) and Osan AB, Korea, he served as an F-16 Electronic Combat pilot, Standardization and Evaluation officer, Squadron Weapons Officer, and Wing Weapons Officer. Following active duty, Colonel Ford served as an operational test pilot at the Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center at Tucson where he managed the aircraft software program for all Block 30 F-16s. Colonel Ford served the 132 Wing as the Distributed Training Operation Center Program Manager and 132nd Operations Group Commander for the Block 30 F-16 mission and newer MQ-9 Reaper mission.
Colonel Ford is a Command Pilot with more than 3,500 flying hours in the F-16 C+, F-16 CG, F-16 CJ, and MQ-9 and has flown over 500 combat hours in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, and Operation FREEDOM SENTINEL.
