Photo By Sgt. Hannah Hawkins | Brig. Gen. Mark Crosby, Assistant Adjutant General-Air and Commander of Joint Domestic...... read more read more
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SALEM, Ore. - With nearly four decades of military service, Brig. Gen. Mark A. Crosby has experienced many unique opportunities during his time in uniform. Crosby formally retired from the Oregon National Guard on April 1, 2023.
Upon graduating from the Air Force Academy in 1986 and receiving his commission into the active Air Force, he served for almost seven years on active duty in the Strategic Air Command and Air Training Command (ATC) at Mather Air Force Base, California, in the 441st Bomb Squadron, 320th Bomb Wing and the 323rd Flying Training Wing. He then transitioned from active duty to the California Air National Guard in 1993, serving in a traditional role as a drill status guardsman as the State Emergency Plans Officer. In 1998 he transferred to the Oregon Air Guard where he was appointed the Deputy Commander of the newly formed Civil Support Team.
During his Oregon Air Guard career, Crosby has held a number of air and joint staff, communications, and command assignment positions. A significant highlight during his career was being selected as the first ever Oregon National Guard Dual Status Commander (DSC) where he led the Oregon National Guard’s (ORNG) exercise response during the Vigilant Guard National Level Exercises in 2016 and 2022.
A DSC is an officer of the Army National Guard (ARNG), Air National Guard (ANG), commissioned officer of the Regular Army or Regular Air Force who has completed specialized training and certification, which can direct both federal active-duty forces and state National Guard forces in response to domestic incidents. In 2020 as the DSC for Oregon, he provided support to federal and local authorities at vaccination centers in support of the Covid-19 pandemic response efforts.
A second career highlight was serving as a Squadron Commander. He was instrumental in directing the 244th Combat Communications Squadron, as the unit ultimately transformed into the 125th Special Tactics Squadron in 2005.
“When I was a young officer, a commander of mine told me once that squadron command is the best job you'll ever have and the hardest – and I agree with that,” Crosby said, reflecting on his career.
“As a Major and Lieutenant Colonel, I commanded two squadrons during which we were shutting down one squadron and merging it with another. As well as merging two different cultures, even though the mission was similar,” Crosby said, recalling this unique period of evolution in the Oregon Air National Guard. “It was a short-term pain but a long-term gain, and it was the right choice.”
Within those challenges, Crosby saw the satisfaction of building a new team with the officers and noncommissioned officers, and getting the unit’s readiness up to standards for upcoming training exercises.
“To see that readiness improvement in action was very rewarding, but also hard,” said Crosby.
Another personal highlight he reflected upon was the position he was tasked with in 2010, and which, he considers also his “baby” - was that of the Oregon National Guard’s State Partnership Program (SPP). Oregon first partnered with Bangladesh in 2008, however, Crosby was instrumental in bringing Vietnam into partnership with Oregon in 2012.
The SPP evolved from a 1991 U.S. European Command decision to set up the Joint Contact Team Program in the Baltic Region with Reserve component Soldiers and Airmen. A subsequent National Guard Bureau proposal paired U.S. states with three nations emerging from the former Soviet Bloc and the SPP was born, becoming a key U.S. security cooperation tool, facilitating cooperation across all aspects of international civil-military affairs and encouraging people-to-people ties at the state level.
“I am a huge advocate for peacekeeping, diplomacy and the role of the military in peacemaking,” said Crosby.
In that sentiment of peacekeeping and partnership building, which he is the most passionate about, he mentions that, “We should further emphasize and acknowledge that the role of the State Partnership Program is probably the best program in the military…let alone the world, that promotes peacekeeping and partnership growth.”
Having personally seen the benefits of the SPP, and how Oregon’s Soldiers and Airmen get the opportunity to travel overseas and experience new cultures in a positive non-combative environment, it’s fitting he views as the future challenges that face U.S. Airmen – specifically, social paradigms.
“We don't challenge them hard enough (social paradigms), he said. “Having the ability to adjust our expectations and standards to reflect the changes in society at the highest level, and if we do, that will pay dividends in regards to recruiting and retention.”
Over the last few years the Oregon National Guard, as well as the rest of the country, have been met with an extremely high operational tempo. This included multiple federal overseas deployments, as well as domestic active duty mobilizations around the state with Wildland firefighting, Covid-19 operation support and other missions.
With all these accomplishments, Crosby is looking forward to stepping back and being able to spend more time with his granddaughter, while playing with her and enjoying family time…which also includes enjoying more of his hobbies like open water and pool swimming. He’ll also continue working in his civilian career with airport and seaport management.
“I recently learned, shockingly, that there are four weekends in a month, and I am really excited about that.”
Retirement photos here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAycFv
| Date Taken: | 04.01.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.31.2023 18:04 |
| Story ID: | 441736 |
| Location: | SALEM, OREGON, US |
| Web Views: | 602 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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