An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | April 26, 2022

ASLC brings ANG, NGB, USAF leaders together

By Tech. Sgt. Morgan Whitehouse, Air National Guard

DALLAS – Lt. Gen. Michael A. Loh, the Air National Guard director, hosted the Air National Guard Senior Leader Conference April 19-21.

ASLC is an annual conference that joins senior air leaders and commanders from across the 54 states, territories and the District of Columbia to exchange ideas and provide input on critical matters affecting the future of the Air National Guard and the Air Force.

“This year’s theme is ‘The Air National Guard Family … Ready Today, Stronger Tomorrow,’ ” said Loh. “The National Guard is the cornerstone, the bedrock of our national defense all the way back to 1636. And it needs to stay that way. … To stay that way, we need Guardsmen who are ready at a moment’s notice and the support of their families and employers.”

Conference hot-topic conversations revolved around ready forces through the lens of current events, the National Defense Strategy, and great power competition. Ultimately, the conference provides the periodic ANG readiness status check within the context of senior leader vision and the national defense needs of the nation.

“We’re staring at an unprecedented moment in our nation’s history,” said Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau. “Today’s threat environment has shifted to strategic competition that threatens to dismantle the rules-based global order. We in the National Guard need to adapt to this dynamic environment. We are ready today, but we need to be stronger tomorrow.”

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown Jr., attending virtually, stressed that seamless total force integration between the three components is key to the warfighter’s effectiveness.

“The future may be uncertain, but I am certain each of us has a responsibility and commitment to ensure our national security,” said Brown. “I am certain that [the Total Force] will collaborate together so that our Air Force can continue to deliver airpower anytime, anywhere.”

The Air Force’s Accelerate Change or Lose strategic approach was another prominent topic discussed throughout ASLC.

During his speech, also delivered remotely, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall emphasized that to remain relevant as the world’s greatest airpower, an evolution of processes must take place across the enterprise.

“We have to move faster than our adversaries,” Kendall said. “We can no longer move at the speed of bureaucracy. We have to move at the speed the threat demands. This needs to be our new mentality in today’s Air Force.”

At this year’s event, the spouses of senior leaders and commanders were invited to provide feedback on the climate and well-being of military families.

“We need to know how to take care of our service members, how to take care of our military families, and that’s where our military spouses can help,” said Loh. “We need spouses involved in the conversation in order to maintain force readiness. We cannot do this alone. Thanks to you, your Airmen, your military families and employers, the Air National Guard remains always ready, always there.”

 

 

Related Articles
From left: U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Richard Coffey, assistant adjutant general – Air, Florida National Guard, Brig. Gen. Mark A. Massaro, commander, 96th Test Wing, Air Force Materiel Command, Maj. Gen. Duke Pirak, deputy director, Air National Guard (ANG), Maj. Gen. Regina A. Sabric, commander, 10th Air Force, and Col. Daniel J. Wittmer, commander, ANG Air Force Reserve Command Test Center, cut a ribbon during a ceremony at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, May 1, 2025. The ceremony established the first-ever F-35 Combined Test Force at Eglin, ensuring the Air Reserve Component as a key player in fifth-generation fighter aircraft testing.  (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Richard Mekkri)
Air Reserve Component Test Center Marks Milestone With F-35 Test Force at Eglin AFB
By Tech. Sgt. Richard Mekkri, | May 8, 2025
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center established its first-ever F-35 Combined Test Force at Eglin Air Force Base on May 1.  This major milestone establishes the Air Reserve...

Senior Enlisted Advisor John Raines, SEA to the Chief, National Guard Bureau engages with Army and Air National Guardsmen across Maine, April 30–May 5, 2025, visiting units from Bangor to South Portland to reinforce mission readiness, celebrate community partnerships, and highlight the critical role of small states in the National Guard’s global mission.
In Maine, Raines Highlights National Guard Readiness, Family Support and Global Reach
By Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Pena, | May 7, 2025
BANGOR, Maine — More than 2,600 Army and Air National Guardsmen stand ready to answer the call across Maine’s rugged 3,500-mile coastline and vast terrain—trained, equipped and prepared to defend the homeland and support...

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Grant Geschwentner, 17th Attack Squadron from Creech Air Force Base, Nev., participates in Reaper Smoke, an MQ-9 Reaper enterprise-wide competition that highlights the skills and advancements within the community, March Air Reserve Base, Calif., April 23, 2025. Each team is judged on crew utilization, time on target, tactics and key target identification during a 30-minute tactical scenario to mimic maritime surface warfare.
California Air National Guard Hosts Reaper Smoke 2025
By Maj. Eve Derfelt, | May 5, 2025
MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. — More than 200 active component, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard MQ-9 Reaper Airmen participated in Exercise Reaper Smoke 2025 last week in Southern California. The California National...