Photo By John Hughel | Washington Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Jill A. Lannan delivers remarks to those...... read more read more
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CAMP MURRAY, Wash. - The first woman to serve as a general officer in the Washington National Guard, Brig. Gen. Jill A. Lannan, retired after 35 years of military service, on Aug. 1, 2020.
"Jill was a first in a lot of things during her military career; she was the first female officer to lead Detachment 1, which became the precursor to the formation of the 194th Wing,” said retired Washington Air National Guard Brig. Gen. John S. Tuohy, who hosted her formal retirement ceremony here on Aug 9. “She also became the first female vice commander of the 194th Regional Support Wing in 2009 and finally as the first female wing commander in 2013, and that was quite an accomplishment, Jill."
"Through all her assignments, tasking, missions and challenges, Gen. Lannan has led with distinction, uncompromising integrity, the highest of honor and even a great sense of humor.”
Her selection in 2015 as the Assistant to the Commander, 24th Air Force at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, elevated her to the rank of brigadier general, and the first woman promoted to this exclusive status for Washington state.
Lannan joined the U.S. Army in June 1985 after her graduation from Saint Norbert College in DePere, Wisconsin, completing degrees in French and Spanish, as well as being a distinguished graduate of the Reserve Officers Training Corp program. Her first assignment was as a signal intelligence platoon leader, with the 25th Infantry Division [Light] at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii in early 1986. Ultimately, she completed the six-month Military Intelligence Officer’s Advance Course at Fort Huachuca, Arizona in 1990 before being assigned at Fort Lewis, Washington.
It was during her tenure working as an intelligence officer at Fort Lewis, initially with 9th Infantry Division and later at I Corps, that Lannan became familiar with the Washington National Guard.
“This is really where she came into the picture and we first met,” said Tuohy, describing their first instance working together. “I had the good fortune to be the (111th Air Support Operations Squadron) Detachment Commander at the time, and we were trying to get some role players and Army actors for our first upcoming Operational Readiness Inspection.”
As an Army captain at the time, Lannan was ‘volun-told’ that she would be one of these role players preparing the 111th Air Support Operations Squadron for this critical inspection.
“The story goes, we’re rolling out in convoy, a good 20 vehicles or so going down a long winding dirt road -- when right in the middle of the road is a broken down HUMVEE with the hood up,” Tuohy retold. “And who is ‘pretending’ to be fixing the engine, but our very own Jill Lannan.”
The broken HUMVEE was a clever set-up as then Air National Guard Maj. Craig W. Blankenstein stepped out of his lead vehicle to shout at Lannan, posing at the vehicle driver, “to move it off the road.” As Blankenstein approached, she finally gave the signal to a couple of well-concealed Tactical Air Controllers hiding in the HUMVEE to open fire and thus eliminating the entire team who took the ’broken down vehicle‘ bait.
“It didn’t take long after that, as everyone -- and I mean everyone -- loved this spunky captain from the Army,” Tuohy said.
After leaving active duty in 1993, Lannan joined the Washington Air National Guard as an intelligence officer with the 111th. She would hold a variety of leadership roles in the Air Guard, becoming a trailblazer who took on new challenges over the next two decades at Camp Murray and back at McChord Air Force Base.
With her promotion to brigadier general and assignment to the 24th Air Force in 2015, Lannan took on her two most challenging assignments back in an active-duty capacity. In 2018 she was assigned as the Special Assistant to the Air National Guard Director for Headquarters Air Force, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force in Washington, D.C. as the Chief Information Dominance and Chief Information Officer.
“These last two assignments are a huge, huge deal because they have everything to do with cyber and space and Jill has been dead center in the middle of all of that during her time here (with the WA ANG),” said Tuohy.
In her last assignment at the Pentagon, Lannan was responsible for promoting network organizational modernization and cybersecurity reform for the entire Air National Guard. This helped harden critical Air Force infrastructure against cyber attacks and other adversaries.
“My last five years serving on active duty, it wasn’t supposed to be that way but the Air National Guard said, ‘not so fast’, there’s something else (we want you) to do,” said Lannan, addressing those attending her retirement ceremony. “I got to see and live the total force with the 24th Air Force and then to end my career at the Pentagon -- that was really pretty cool.”
She emphasized the occasion to come back to Washington and acknowledge those members of the Washington National Guard that helped influence her career and watched her grow as a leader.
“To come full circle here today to be with my Air Guard family and this joint team has meant everything,” she said. “It’s been a great journey and it’s been all about the people and I am a better person undoubtedly because of each and every one of you during these 35 years.”
In his closing remarks as the host, Tuohy relayed a phone call he had with Lannan leading up to her retirement ceremony.
“I asked Jill, what inspires you, her reply was, ’my family, friends, community, but people in general,’” he said, recalling the conversation.
Tuohy also said that she was someone who led by example with passion and convection.
“Mission must always be the priority but taking care of people cannot be compromised,” Tuohy said. “A track record of 35 years of outstanding inspirational leadership worthy of both emulation and adoration.”
As she retires, Lannan is planning to visit family in her native home in the upper peninsula of Michigan where her military journey began nearly four decades before.
| Date Taken: | 08.10.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 08.10.2020 22:18 |
| Story ID: | 375688 |
| Location: | CAMP MURRAY, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 934 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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