Photo By Staff Sgt. Tyrone Williams | The Commanding General of District of Columbia National Guard, Maj. Gen. Errol...... read more read more
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The District of Columbia National Guard held a command chief warrant officer change of responsibility ceremony Oct. 17 at the D.C. Armory.
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Janice Fontanez assumed responsibility from Command Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Mueck and is the first woman to hold this position in the D.C. National Guard.
Maj. Gen. Errol R. Schwartz, as a reviewer of the ceremony, talked in high esteem about the previous holder of the position and expectations for his predecessor.
Fontanez served as the Senior Signal Warrant Officer Advisor ARNG, TRADOC Command, Signal Center for excellence, located in Fort Gordon, Georgia. “I put in energy and have many ideas and I am absolutely ready to serve,”Fontanez said. She continued to explain her mission is to continue the efforts of Mueck by providing leadership, mentorship and developing the careers of her fellow warrant officers.
This appointment highlights Fontanez’s illustrious career which ranged from System Programmer/Analyst, Telecommunication Manager to Information Management Branch Chief with the DC National Guard.
Her predecessor, Mueck served 10 years in active duty Army. Some of this time he was part of the 82nd Airborne Division and was awarded the opportunity to earn Canadian Jump Wings. In addition, he has 12 years as a Maintenance Officer and as an Aviation Life Support Equipment Officer and has flown over 10,000 hours to include the Medevac Mission between the Pentagon and Walter Reed Army Hospital on September 11, 2001.
Fontanez assumed responsibility from Mueck who has served as the Command Chief Warrant Officer for three years.
He commended Swartz for allowing him to follow his own vision and attributed that to his success. “I am not in charge of them but instead shepherding them because they don’t really need a lot of leadership,” said Mueck. “Warrant officers are all self-starters and they get things done. When they tell you they can do it, you can pretty much scratch that off your to-do list and achieve to the highest standards.”
After the ceremony, a receiving linewas held on the drill floor for Fontanez and her husband welcoming them back to the DC National Guard. When asked about her new position, she explained her exuberance and excitement to continue the mission and cement the unit’s legacy.
Fontanez said she looks forward to the opportunity to continue the great tradition that Mueck has establish and elevate it to further heights.
| Date Taken: | 10.18.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 10.22.2015 11:58 |
| Story ID: | 179611 |
| Location: | WASHINGTON, DC, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Web Views: | 302 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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