BRIGADIER GENERAL KEITH I. LANG

Chief of Staff, Kansas Air National Guard

Brigadier General I. Lang is Chief of Staff, Kansas Air National Guard. He is responsible for formulating and organizing plans and programs that ensure the Kansas Air National Guard units are equipped, manned and trained to accomplish wartime mobilization requirements. General Lang is also responsible for validating qualifications and proficiency of rated personnel and reviewing plans for employment/deployment of all tactical and strategic forces assigned to the Kansas Air National Guard to ensure compliance with applicable laws and directives.

General Lang entered military service as an enlisted member in August 1978 where he served as an F-4 crew chief with the North Dakota Air National Guard. He was selected for pilot training with the 190th Air Refueling Wing in Topeka, Kansas and was commissioned through the Academy of Military Science in June 1981. Since successful completion of undergraduate pilot training in 1982, he has flown the KC-135A, KC-135D, KC-135E and KC-135R aircraft accumulating over 4,000 flying hours as a military Command Pilot. General Lang has participated in multiple deployments and in several operations to include Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Northern Watch; logging over 130 hours during 31 combat support sorties.

EDUCATION:

1981 Central Missouri State University, Bachelor of Science, Aviation Technology, Warrensburg, Missouri
2004 Air War College, by correspondence

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. June 1981 - August 1982, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma
2. August 1982 - February 1983, Student, Combat Crew Training School, Castle Air Force Base, California
3. February 1983 - June 1987, Co-Pilot, KC-135, 117th Air Refueling Squadron, Kansas Air National Guard, Topeka, Kansas
4. June 1987- September 1990, Aircraft Commander, KC-135, 117th Air Refueling Squadron, Kansas Air National Guard, Topeka, Kansas
5. September 1990 - September 1993, Element Leader, B Flight, 117th Air Refueling Squadron, Kansas Air National Guard, Topeka, Kansas
6. September 1993 - September 1994, Operations Officer, 177th Air Refueling Squadron, Kansas Air National Guard, Topeka, Kansas
7. September 1994 - September 1995, Commander, A Flight, 117th Air Refueling Squadron, Kansas Air National Guard, Topeka, Kansas
8. September 1995 - April 1998, Operations Officer, 117th Air Refueling Squadron, Kansas Air National Guard, Topeka, Kansas
9. April 1998 - December 2000, Commander, 117th Air Refueling Squadron, Kansas Air National Guard, Topeka, Kansas
10. December 2000 - March 2003, Chief of Safety, 190th Air Refueling Wing, Topeka, Kansas
11. March 2003 - March 2005, Flight Commander/KC-135 Evaluator/Instructor Aircraft Commander, 117th Air Refueling Squadron, Topeka, Kansas
12. March 2005 - March 2006, Commander, C Flight, 117th Air Refueling Squadron, Kansas Air National Guard, Topeka, Kansas
13. March 2006 - March 2008, Director of Operations, Air Component, Kansas Joint Force Headquarters, Kansas Air National Guard, Topeka, Kansas
14. March 2008 - May 2011, Commander, 190th Air Refueling Wing, Kansas Air National Guard, Topeka, Kansas
15. May 2011 - Present, Chief of Staff, Kansas Air National Guard, Kansas, Joint Force Headquarters, Kansas Air National Guard, Topeka, Kansas

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with Valor Device and 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Combat Readiness Medal (with 2 Silver Oak Leaf Clusters)
National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Service Stars)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Gold Hourglass and M Device)
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
Kuwait Liberation Medal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Kuwait Liberation Medal Government of Kuwait
Kansas National Guard Commendation Ribbon
Kansas National Guard State Emergency Duty Service Ribbon (with 1Bronze Sunflower)
Kansas National Guard Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Sunflowers)

CIVILIAN OCCUPATION:

Commercial Airline Captain flying over 18,000 hours in the B-727, DC-9, and DC-10.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS:

Air Force Association
National Guard Association of the United States
National Guard Association of Kansas
Perpetual Sustaining Member to the Museum of the Kansas National Guard
Allied Pilots Association

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

Second Lieutenant 25 June 1981
First Lieutenant 7 July 1983
Captain 2 November 1985
Major 1 June 1991
Lieutenant Colonel 5 November 1995
Colonel 2 August 2006
Brigadier General 14 May 2011

(Current as of November 2011)