PEARL CITY, Hawaii – The Hawaii Air National Guard activated its first Recruiting and Retention Flight during a ceremony Aug. 1 at the Hawaii Air National Guard recruiting offices in Pearl Highlands Center, establishing a dedicated organization designed to strengthen recruiting, improve retention and increase force readiness across the state.
The ceremony included three significant events: the formal activation of Headquarters, Hawaii Air National Guard Recruiting and Retention Flight; the assumption of command by Lt. Col. Michael Buendia; and the assumption of responsibility by Senior Master Sgt. Todd Shak.
Together, the events formally established the recruiting flight as a dedicated organizational unit operating under Hawaii Air National Guard Headquarters and marked the beginning of a new command team responsible for it.
Although the activation order officially took effect July 11, the ceremony provided an opportunity for Hawaii Air National Guard leaders, Airmen, families, retirees and community members to recognize the significance of the new organization and its role in strengthening the force.
“This activation is more than an organizational change, a new guidon or a line on a chart,” said Brig. Gen. Phillip L. Mallory, commander of the Hawaii Air National Guard. “It is a clear statement that recruiting and retention are readiness missions, and recruiting to our full end strength is my top priority.”
Before the flight’s activation, recruiting and retention activities operated under the Hawaii Air National Guard’s personnel directorate. Establishing it as a standalone flight provides the justification and resources needed to assign dedicated support personnel.
The flight now consists of nearly 20 full-time Guardsmen responsible for recruiting new members, retaining experienced Airmen and supporting accession and in-processing requirements across the Hawaii Air National Guard.
Reaching full end strength would require more than filling vacant positions, Mallory said. He emphasized the importance of building trusted relationships throughout the state, improving the accession process and fostering a culture that encourages Airmen to join and continue serving.
“Every aircraft we launch, every cyber network we defend, every command-and-control mission we execute and every response we provide to the state of Hawaii begins with people,” Mallory said. “We cannot generate combat power, serve our communities or remain ready across the Indo-Pacific unless we bring in talented Airmen, develop them, support their families and give them compelling reasons to continue serving.”
The establishment of the flight followed efforts by recruiting and retention leaders at the National Guard Bureau to secure additional manpower and resources for recruiting organizations across all 54 states and territories.
Before the flight’s activation, recruiters were often responsible for transporting applicants to and from the Military Entrance Processing Station, coordinating unit orientations and enlistments, completing in-processing and administrative tasks and supporting marketing and social media efforts.
Although those duties were necessary, the time spent supporting transportation and administrative requirements reduced the amount of time recruiters could dedicate to meeting applicants, generating leads, visiting schools and developing relationships within local communities.
The flight’s additional support personnel will assume many of those responsibilities, allowing recruiters to remain focused on finding and engaging prospective Airmen.
Following the activation of the flight, Buendia formally assumed command as its first commander. During the assumption-of-command portion of the ceremony, he accepted the unit guidon, symbolizing his authority and responsibility for the flight’s personnel, mission and resources.
Buendia enlisted in the Hawaii Air National Guard in 1995 before earning his commission and serving as an air battle manager, director of operations and commander of the 169th Air Defense Squadron.
“Command is not about possession of a guidon; it is about accountability for people and mission,” Mallory said. “I charge you to build a flight that recruits with purpose, retains with care, removes unnecessary barriers and strengthens the connection between every Airman and the mission they serve.”
Shak then formally assumed responsibility as the flight’s first senior enlisted leader. The assumption-of-responsibility ceremony recognized his role as the commander’s principal enlisted adviser and his responsibility for the standards, readiness, development and well-being of the flight’s enlisted members.
Shak, who enlisted in the Hawaii Air National Guard in 2002, has served as a production recruiter and recruiting superintendent before assuming responsibility as the senior enlisted leader of the recruiting unit. He helped guide the recruiting and retention enterprise through the transition leading to the flight’s activation.
“No commander succeeds alone,” Mallory said. “Your experience and credibility will be essential as this new organization establishes its identity, integrates its new personnel and turns strategic goals into daily action.”
During the ceremony, Mallory also recognized the families of Buendia and Shak, thanking them for their support and acknowledging the demands associated with command and senior enlisted leadership.
“You are not simply filling vacancies,” Mallory told the flight’s members. “You are finding Hawaii’s next generation of Airmen, preserving the experience already within our formations, and shaping the future of this force one person at a time.”
As the Hawaii Air National Guard’s first dedicated Recruiting and Retention Flight, the organization will serve as the central force behind efforts to attract, access and retain the Airmen needed to support state and federal missions.
“Build an organization worthy of the Airmen it serves and the future it is charged to secure,” Mallory said. “Lead with humility, purpose, resilience and aloha.”