The Missouri Air National Guard’s 241st Air Traffic Control Squadron is closing its Airfield Operations Officer training course at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base in St. Joseph. This Air Guard training program for active duty officers who enter air traffic control is no longer needed, said squadron officials. “Overall, I am proud of what we have accomplished with the program,” said Maj. John Howie, 241st ATCS commander. “We produced quality officers for this career field.” In the summer of 2006, the Air Force reformed its training for airfield operations officers, with the Air Guard agreeing to provide the mission qualification training. The two-year program featured one year of training in tower, radar, and airfield management and one year of professional development before reassignment to an active duty Air Force base. (St. Joseph report by SSgt. April Bachler)
The Air National Guardsman who was arrested last year for sharing hundreds of top secret and classified documents to online chatrooms was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison on Nov. 12 after pleading guilty to several charges this March.