176th gets new wing king

By Staff Sgt. N. Alicia Goldberger, 176th Wing / Published September 18, 2011

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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska - Col. Donald S. Wenke, the new commander of the 176th Wing, Alaska Air National Guard, accepts the wing guidon from Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Katkus, commander of the Alaska National Guard, during the wing's change of command ceremony Sept. 18, 2011. Wenke assumed command of the wing from Brig. Gen. Charles E. Foster, who has served as the wing commander since 2008. Alaska Air National Guard photo by Master Shannon Oleson.

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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska - Col. Donald S. Wenke, the new commander of the 176th Wing, Alaska Air National Guard, speaks to wing members during the wing's change of command ceremony Sept. 18, 2011. Wenke assumed command of the wing from Brig. Gen. Charles E. Foster, who has served as the wing commander since 2008. Alaska Air National Guard photo by Master Shannon Oleson.

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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Master Sgt. Kevin Combs, supervisor of the 176th Maintenance Squadron's Comm Nav Section, stands in formation at the 176th Wing's change-of-command ceremony here Sept. 18, 2011. Col. Donald S. Wenke assumed command of the 176th Wing from Brig. Gen. Charles "Chuck" Foster, who had led the wing since 2008. Alaska Air National Guard photo by Capt. John Callahan.

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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Staff Sgt. Danielle Crismon, a weapons director with the 176th Air Control Squadron, stands in formation at the 176th Wing's change-of-command ceremony here Sept. 18, 2011. Col. Donald S. Wenke assumed command of the 176th Wing from Brig. Gen. Charles "Chuck" Foster, who had led the wing since 2008. Alaska Air National Guard photo by Capt. John Callahan.

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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Tech Sgt. James A. Rash, a personnel specialist with the 176th Force Support Flight, leads the Color Guard here Sept. 18, 2011. Col. Donald S. Wenke assumed command of the 176th Wing from Brig. Gen. Charles "Chuck" Foster, who had led the wing since 2008. Alaska Air National Guard photo by Capt. John Callahan.

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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Master Sgt. Janet Lemmons, the First Sergeant for the 176th Civil Engineer Squadron and a member of the 176th Wing's Color Guard, awaits the start of the wing's change-of-command ceremony here Sept. 18, 2011. Col. Donald S. Wenke assumed command of the wing from Brig. Gen. Charles "Chuck" Foster, who had led the organization since 2008. Alaska Air National Guard photo by Capt. John Callahan.

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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Senior Master Sgt. Roland Lemieux, First Sergeant for the 176th Maintenance Group, serves as the group's guidon bearer at the 176th Wing's change-of-command ceremony here Sept. 18, 2011. Col. Donald S. Wenke assumed command of the 176th Wing from Brig. Gen. Charles "Chuck" Foster, who had led the wing since 2008. Alaska Air National Guard photo by Capt. John Callahan.

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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Maj. Matthew Frieze, a chaplain for the Alaska Air National Guard's 176th Wing, delivers the benediction at the wing's change-of-command ceremony here Sept. 18, 2011. Col. Donald S. Wenke assumed command of the wing from Brig. Gen. Charles "Chuck" Foster, who had led the organization since 2008. Alaska Air National Guard photo by Capt. John Callahan.

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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Brig. Gen. Charles "Chuck" Foster (right), outgoing commander of the Alaska Air National Guard's 176th Wing, salutes Army Maj. Gen. Thomas Katkus, Adjutant General for the State of Alaska and commander of the Alaska National Guard, at the wing's change-of-command ceremony here Sept. 18, 2011. Col. Donald S. Wenke assumed command of the wing from Foster, who had led the organization since 2008. Alaska Air National Guard photo by Capt. John Callahan.

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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Brig. Gen. Charles "Chuck" Foster, outgoing commander of the Alaska Air National Guard's 176th Wing, bids his Airmen fairwell at the wing's change-of-command ceremony here Sept. 18, 2011. Col. Donald S. Wenke assumed command of the wing from Foster, who had led the organization since 2008. Alaska Air National Guard photo by Capt. John Callahan.

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Col. Donald S. Wenke received the 176th Wing's command flag from Alaska's Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Thomas Katkus, at a change-of-command ceremony here Sept. 18.

More than 500 guardsmen and community leaders attended the event that publicly demonstrated the change in leadership of one of the country's largest and busiest Air Guard wings.

Brig. Gen. Charles E. "Chuck" Foster, the relinquishing leader, expressed appreciation toward the assembled guardsmen after serving more than three years as their wing commander.

"I want to thank you for being the kind of airmen who make it worth it to get up early on a drill weekend, make it worth it to leave my family and deploy with you," Foster said in anticipation of the ceremony.

Katkus expressed confidence in the wing's future.

"The 176th is going to continue to do great things" under Col. Wenke's leadership, he said.

The wing commander accepted his position with respect.

"It's an honor to be selected," Wenke said.

Wenke accepted the responsibility after serving 24 years in the Air National Guard. He is not new to wing leadership: He began serving as vice wing commander in April, and before that commanded the Air Guard's Eielson-based 168th Air Refueling Wing.

In his speech, Wenke said his top priorities for the wing were its people, mission, resources and community. He also talked about what would be asked of wing members.

"As the commander, I will ask each of you to take calculated risks," Wenke said. "Remaining in your comfort zone does nothing to secure our future. For me, the road less traveled has held great rewards."

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