Brigadier General Blake A. Gettys
Brig. Gen. Blake A. Gettys is the Director, Joint Staff - AK Joint Force Headquarters, Alaska National Guard, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and also serves as the Air National Guard Assistant to the 11th Air Force Commander. As the Director of Joint Staff, he advises the Adjutant General on Air and Army issues and policies relating to Defense Support to Civil Authorities and security cooperation. General Gettys is responsible for establishing and maintaining emergency management capacities throughout Alaska.
General Gettys entered the U.S. Air Force after graduating with a degree in Civil Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. He is a distinguished graduate of the C-21 and C-17A Qualification Courses as well as Squadron Officer School. Prior to serving as the 176th Wing Commander, General Gettys was the Director of Operations, Alaska Joint Force Headquarters-Air. He was a liaison with Total Force partners on operational concerns relating to Alaska’s primary missions. General Gettys advised the commander on strategic initiatives relating to the Air National Guard and Alaska.
Prior to this assignment, General Gettys served as the Commander, 176th Wing, Alaska Air National Guard at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. He was responsible for the recruiting, retention, and training of over 1,500 Air Guard members, as well as operational and maintenance control of eight airlift C-130H, four rescue HC-130 (H)N, and six rescue HH-60G airframes for in-state and worldwide deployment. Additionally, he was responsible for the Classic Association of ANG forces regarding nine C17 aircraft.
EDUCATION
1988 Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, USAF Academy, Colorado
1994 Squadron Officer School (SOS)
2004 Air Command and Staff College (ACSC)
2012 Air War College (AirWC), by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1984 - June 1988, Student, United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), Colo.
2. July 1988 - April 1989, Graduate Assistant Football Coach, USAFA, Colo.
3. May 1989 - May 1990, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Williams AFB, Ariz.
4. June 1990 - May 1994, C-21 Evaluator Pilot, 2 OG, Barksdale AFB, La.
5. June 1994 - March 1999, C-130 Evaluator Pilot & Flight Commander, 517th Airlift Squadron (AS), Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
6. April 1999 - April 2004, C-130 Evaluator & Chief Pilot, 144 AS, Kulis Air National Guard Base (ANGB), Alaska
7. May 2004 - September 2009, Commander, 176th Operations Support Flight, Kulis ANGB, Alaska
8. October 2009 - July 2011, Deputy Commander, 176th Operations Group, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), Alaska
9. July 2011 - July 2014, Commander, 176th Operations Group, JBER, Alaska
10. August 2014 - October 2014, Director of Operations, JBER, Alaska
11. October 2014 - July 2016, Commander, 176th Wing, JBER, Alaska
12. July 2016 - September 2016, Chief of Staff-Air, Joint Force Headquarters, JBER, Alaska
13. April 2017 - Present, Director, Joint Staff - (AK) Joint Force Headquarters (JFHQ), JFHQ Alaska, Joint Base Elemendorf Richardson, Alaska; dual-hatted, June 2017 - Present, Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, 11th Air Force, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 5,000 hours military
Aircraft Flown: T37, T38, C-21, C-130 (E, H1, H2) C-17A, HC-130, HH-60, DC-9 (-10,-30,-40,-50), B-747-200
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor device and four oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with five oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Southwest Asia Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with oak leaf cluster
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
AF Overseas Ribbon Short
AF Overseas Ribbon Long
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
AF Longevity Service with four oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with oak leaf cluster
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon (Pistol)
Air Force Training Ribbon
Kuwait Liberation Medal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Kuwait Liberation Medal Government of Kuwait
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jun. 1, 1988
First Lieutenant Jun. 1, 1990
Captain Jun. 1, 1992
Major Oct. 1, 2000
Lieutenant Colonel Jan. 19, 2005
Colonel May 23, 2013
Brigadier General Apr. 1, 2017
(Current as of May 2018)
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