New York Air National Guard Col. Greg A. Semmel, former Wing Commander of the 174th Attack Wing and newly appointed Assistant Adjutant General – Air for the New York National Guard, receives the rank of brigadier general during a promotion ceremony being held at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base Friday, June 10.
Background:
Col. Greg A. Semmel
Col. Greg A. Semmel commanded the 174th Attack Wing from 2012 until April 2016. A 1986 graduate of the Air Force Academy, Semmel is a command pilot with more than 4000 flying hours, including over 125 combat missions in various operations to include Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Southern Watch, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Noble Eagle.
Semmel graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1986, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. He is a graduate of the United States Air Force Fighter Weapons Instructor Course, the Air Command and Staff College, the Air War College and the Joint Forces Staff College.
Semmel served in the Active Air Force in a variety of positions until he joined the New York Air National Guard’s 138th Fighter Squadron in 2000 as Chief of Weapon and Tactics. From 2005 to 2011, he served as the 174th Operations Group Commander and then became the 174th Fighter Wing’s Vice Commander in 2011. In 2012, Semmel was selected as the new 174th Attack Wing Commander.
While acting as the 174th Attack Wing’s Commander, Semmel was responsible for leading a combat wing supporting the MQ-9 aircraft, the MQ-9 Flying Training Unit, MQ-9 Field Training Detachment, RC-26B aircraft, and three geographically separated units. His responsibilities included: organizing, training, equipping and deploying combat-ready forces for Air and Space Expeditionary Forces (AEFs) for the over 1200 military members at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base. In addition to his duties as the Wing Commander, Semmel acted as the Joint Task Force Commander for New York State Joint Operations Area 4.
His awards include the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.
Semmel and his family reside in Jamesville, N.Y.
174th Attack Wing:
The 174th Attack Wing was established in 1947 as the first Air National Guard flying unit in New York State.
It currently flies the MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft and trains all MQ-9 maintenance technicians for the Air Force, Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve. The wing also conducts qualification training for MQ-9 pilots and sensor operators at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base and Fort Drum, operating out of Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield.
At the same time the wing deploys members oversees to support MQ-9 operations and other Air Force commitments.
The wing also maintains the air-to-ground gunnery range at Fort Drum which is used by Air Force, Air Guard and Air Force Reserve units across the northeast and provides forces to respond to state emergencies at the direction of the governor.
In December 2015, the 174th Attack Wing was the first unit to fly a remotely piloted aircraft in class “C” airspace which surrounds a civilian airport.