CHARLESTON, W.Va. –– Colonel Johnny Ryan joined the West Virginia Air National Guard in 1993. The Herbert Hoover High School graduate had a dream of flying and eventually becoming an airline pilot. He made it there, but soon things changed.
“I used to fly for U.S.Airways and Delta and then 9/11 happened and I was furloughed form the airlines,” he said. “I returned back to the 130th as a full timer.”
Ryan’s move up the career ladder started when he returned and today he finds himself a month into his most recent assignment, Commander of the 130th Airlift Wing of the West Virginia Air Guard.
“The biggest goal is for me to get out and get to know the people.I think everybody needs to know their commander,” said Ryan. “We have about 1,100 people on the base and they need to know who i am and what I stand for.”
Two key concerns for Ryan in the early part of his command period are recruiting and security. Recruiting and retention have never been a problem for the 130th. Presently the win is at 106 percent force. However, it’s specific needs Ryan believes he needs to focus on with recruiting.
“Some of the challenges we face are in the professional areas, such as doctors. Doctors are a little tougher to recruit,” he said. “I’m a little worried about pilots right now, the airlines are really starting to pick up and they’re hiring at a feverish pace.”
Security is a matter of grave concern to all commanders in the military these days. The completion of the Coonskin Park Bridge will soon close the local base to the general public. Ryan said that will be a huge weight off everyone’s mind.
“Force protection conditions and base security of equipment is always a top priority,”he said. “We’re very luck and blessed the community support the 130th Airlift Wing and the Air National Guard as a whole. They supported the bridge and built the bridge for us. So obviously we’re very important to the community and the community is very important to us.”