JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. - Air National Guard Readiness Center personnel welcomed a new leader during an assumption of command ceremony Monday at the ANGRC here.
Brig. Gen. Michael R. Taheri, the ANGRC commander, assumed command of the ANGRC from Lt. Gen. Stanley E. Clarke III, the director of the ANG.
During the ceremony Clarke said that Taheri's background of serving in various capacities in the active-duty and ANG gives him a unique ability to handle the task of leading the ANGRC.
"Knowing the caliber of person you are and with the experiences you've had, there is no better person to be sitting on this stage today, ready to take command of the Air National Guard Readiness Center," Clarke said.
Taheri gained valuable leadership experience as commander, 153rd Airlift Wing, Wyoming Air National Guard, Cheyenne, Wyoming. The 153rd supports state and national interests though peacetime and combat airlift missions. The wing also provides domestic support through its Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, aeromedical evacuation, command and control and air traffic control missions.
The ANGRC ensures ANG field units are properly resourced to train and equip in support of state and federal missions across the entire spectrum of military operations and provide support sustaining ANG airmen throughout their careers.
"Coming back to the readiness center for me is special," said Taheri. "I have a special place in my heart for all the hard things you do and what you do for the field is noticed. Everything we did out there, I felt that you were our wingman and this was the support structure that made sure we had the resources in place to safely and effectively accomplish the mission."
Taheri told the gathered staff that in the face of future challenges, the ANG is more vital and will continue to leverage partnerships to become even better.
"Through this all we become an even more essential force," said Taheri. "Our first and foremost priority is to be prepared for the missions of today. Those missions are the war-fight and the homeland. We do that by leveraging the partnerships that we have. We have partnerships overseas, but we also have them throughout our communities, chamber of commerce and schools, those are the things we have to leverage to become even smarter and better at what we do."Taheri follows the leadership of Maj. Gen. R. Scott Williams who served as the ANGRC commander from August 2012 to June 2014. Williams leaves to serve as the senior defense official and defense attaché, U.S. Embassy, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Williams will be the Department of Defense principal military official and representative to the U.S. embassy country team and host nation.