Photo By Senior Airman Cody Martin | Maj. Heath Allen takes command of the 188th Security Forces Squadron June 26, 2016,...... read more read more
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EBBING AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, FORT SMITH, Ark. - The 188th Security Forces Squadron hosted a formal change of command ceremony June 26 at the 188th Wing’s Ebbing Air National Guard Base. Maj. Heath Allen took command of the 188th SFS during the ceremony.
“Maj. Allen is an outstanding leader,” said Col. Tenise Gardner, 188th Mission Support Group commander. “I believe his experience and work ethic give him the skills to be a great commander.”
Lt. Col. Mitch Long relinquished command of the 188th SFS and received a Department of Defense Meritorious Service Medal for his efforts as commander. Long, also a former logistics readiness officer and 188th chief of supply, takes on a new assignment as 188th MSG deputy commander. He will be charged with providing direct support to Gardner and MSG’s 350 Airmen, four squadrons and one flight.
Allen will now command the SFS, which is comprised of more than 90 total security forces personnel. Allen will be responsible for 24/7 force protection, firearms training and all aspects involving the security of wing personnel, assets and facilities. In addition to his role as defense force commander for the wing’s three campuses, he will be charged with direction of the wing’s anti-terrorism program.
“A commander should be a servant to his Airmen, a tireless champion for their well-being,” Allen said. “Security Forces is a proud squadron with a distinguished heritage and I am honored to be its commander. I cannot promise perfection but I will always be objective and fair. My promise to you is continue the hard work of my predecessors. My goal is to build on those efforts by furnishing the tools and vision to empower our Airmen to achieve new levels of camaraderie and innovation. That is my debt to our squadron and I promise to repay it in full.
Allen is equipped with a wealth of program management experience.
“Allen is one of the best executive officers I’ve ever worked with and I’ve worked with many,” said Col. Bobbi Doorenbos, 188th Wing commander. “He always did a great job no matter what task he was given. He’s an exceptional officer and communicator. I know he will make a great commander.”
Allen previously served as the 188th’s executive officer from 2012-2016. As XO, Allen functioned in a broad array of assignments, including public affairs (media relations/community relations/internal messaging), legislative liaison, protocol, history, staff officer and sexual assault prevention and response. Allen also served in a variety of assignments and project leads as XO. He was selected as the project officer in charge for the 188th’s first-ever visit from the Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff of the Air Force as well as multiple visits from the Director of the Air National Guard. Additionally, he served as the officer in charge of the wing’s 60th Anniversary Celebration and the Conversion Day event that signaled the 188th’s segue from manned fighters to remotely piloted aircraft; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and space-focused targeting.
Allen spent the bulk of his time in the commissioned ranks from 2003-2012 as the chief of 188th Public Affairs. He deployed to Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait in 2010-2011 for six-plus months as the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs chief. While in Kuwait, Allen was picked as the U.S. Air Forces Central Command public affairs representative at the Kuwait 50/20 celebration, which recognized the 20th anniversary of its liberation from Iraq and the 50th year of its independence from Great Britain.
In 2010, he was assigned to Arkansas National Guard Joint Force Headquarters Public Affairs Office. He coordinated all public affairs efforts for Northwest Arkansas, facilitating media relations and coverage of more than 3,000 National Guardsmen at Fort Chaffee, the 188th and the 142nd Field Artillery Brigade. Allen began his career in 1997 when he enlisted as an F-16 Falcon crew chief in the now inactivated 188th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. He is a graduate of Charleston (Arkansas) High School and the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville.
| Date Taken: | 06.26.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 06.29.2016 16:28 |
| Story ID: | 202774 |
| Location: | FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 135 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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