of 165th Air Support Operations Sqd.
The Georgia Air National Guard’s 165th Air Support Operations Squadron underwent a Change of Command in June as Lt. Col. John Haley relinquished command of the 72-member unit to Lt. Col. Paul G. Havel. Lt. Col. Haley retired following more than 28 years of commissioned service.
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| (L-to-R) Maj. Gen. Scott A. Hammond, Commander of the 3,00-member Georgia Air National Guard presided over change of command ceremonies on June 3, 2006 in Brunswick , as Lt. Col. Paul G. Havel, a 22-year Air Force veteran (center) assumed command over the 55-member Air National Guard squadron from retiring commander, Lt. Col. John Whaley (right). |
Lt. Col. Paul G. Havel, a 22-year Air Force veteran, is currently the Air Liaison Officer for the Brunswick-based unit. A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Havel has accumulated over 2,600 flying hours including 111 combat hours flown in support of during Operations JUST CAUSE, DESERT STORM and CONTINUE HOPE. As an AC-130 Gunship pilot, he has held numerous ratings and qualifications to include aircraft commander, instructor pilot, and flight examiner. He was also the first Ranger Gunship Liaison Officer to support the 75th Ranger Regiment and 3rd Ranger Battalion. As the Air Force Special Operations Command’s Flight Commander for Fixed-Wing Flight Test, he directly supervised all operational test and tactics development for the entire command’s C-130 fleet.
Following his separation from the Air Force in 1998, Lt Col Havel joined the 165th ASOS and assumed various squadron duties including Assistant Director of Operations, Flight Commander, Air Liaison Officer, Range Control Officer, and Joint Terminal Attack Controller (Evaluator/Instructor). He also served tours of duty with the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Joint Close Air Support and the National Guard Bureau. In 2005, he served as an Air Liaison Officer and Joint Terminal Attack Controller directly supporting Army ground combat operations during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.
Lt. Col. John Haley commanded the 165th ASOS since June 2003. Following graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1978, Haley became a Naval Flight Officer, amassing more than 2,900 hours in the A-6 Intruder. He flew numerous combat missions during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. He joined the Air National Guard in 1997 as Operations Officer and Standardization and Evaluation Officer for the 165th ASOS. While serving as commander of the Brunswick-based unit, Guardsmen of the 165th ASOS have repeatedly deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and have earned 16 Bronze Stars and 31 Army Commendation Medals.
The unit was also earned the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award in 2003.
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