New commander home from Iraq to take charge of Delaware Air Guard's logistics readiness squadron in weekend ceremony

Delaware Air National Guard
Headquarters, 166th Airlift Wing
2600 Spruance Drive
New Castle, DE 19720-1615 

Change of command ceremony starts 2:00 p.m. Saturday, July 14, 2007. News media are invited, but call ahead to confirm. Other interviews can be arranged.

Photos of incoming commander, a resident of Hainesport, N.J., and outgoing commander, a resident of King of Prussia, Pa., available to news media on request

Contact: Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Matwey
Public Affairs Specialist, 166th Airlift Wing
Cell 302-593-2126, or office 302-323-3369
E-mail: Benjamin.Matwey@denewc.ang.af.mil
Release No. 2007-07-001
July 12, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW CASTLE - A change of command ceremony for the 166th Logistics Readiness Squadron, part of the 166th Mission Support Group in the 166th Airlift Wing, will occur this weekend at the Delaware Air National Guard air base in New Castle, Delaware.

The 166th Logistic Readiness Squadron's mission is to oversee and execute wing logistics plans, sustain vehicle maintenance and transportation, fuels distribution, transportation management and supply in direct support of C-130 aircraft. The squadron has 95 Airmen who serve in seven sections.

The outgoing 166th LRS commander, Lt. Col. Dennis Hunsicker, resides in King of Prussia, Pa. (zip code 19406) and served as the 166th LRS commander since Jan. 2003. Effective July 1, 2007 he assumed duties as Deputy Commander, 166th Mission Support Group, Delaware ANG.

The incoming 166th LRS commander, Major Stephen J. Henske, Jr., resides in Hainesport, N.J. 08036. Maj. Henske has served on three overseas combat missions since Sept. 11, 2001, deploying in 2001 to the Sultanate of Oman (a country in Southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula), in 2002 to Afghanistan, and very recently this year, 2007, he returned from a mission to Iraq where he was awarded the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal. He also served in Southwest Asia prior to Sept. 11, 1001, supporting three operations. His most recent command was as the 166th Aerial Port Flight Commander in the 166th Mission Support Group before his just completed mission to Iraq.
Colonel Daniel Van Wyk, wing vice-commander, said, "The 166th Logistic Readiness Squadron is gaining another top officer who is 'squared away,' as we say in the military -- both the outgoing and incoming commanders know their missions, work well with their people, and have gained a lot of experience in the overseas expeditionary environment all military members must excel in when we serve in combat zones. Maj. Henske just got home from nearly five months in Iraq where he served in a compound manned and run by U.S. Marines. They were so impressed by his expertise and contributions that they awarded our Delaware Air Guard Airman, who wears the Air Force uniform, the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal. Having a member from another arm of the service receive that medal is a rare and very credible accomplishment, and one that our wing is very proud of."

BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS FOR EACH OFFICER FOLLOW

MAJOR HENSKE:

Maj. Henske was serving in Oman just 10 days after Sept. 11, 2001 in support of Operation Infinite Justice (renamed as Operation Enduring Freedom). He served in Afghanistan in 2002 supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, working in the tanker airlift control element for one month each at Kandahar Air Base and Bagram Air Base. He recently served in Iraq for four-and-a-half months in 2007, helping support the C-130 airlift re-supply mission, which kept about 2,000 trucks off road because they were no longer needed for convoy duty, thus helping convoy trucks troops to stay out of harm's way.

Major Henske graduated from in 1988 Monsignor Farrell High School in Staten Island, N.Y., next graduated in 1992 from Villanova University, earning a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering, and then in 1994 graduated from St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia, earning a Masters of Business Administration. He completed the in-residence Air Force Squadron Officer School at Maxwell AFB, Ala. in 1999, and the Air Force Air Command and Staff College by correspondence in July 2007.

Maj. Henske joined the Air Force in 1994 and served at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., transferred to McGuire AFB, N.J. in 1997, and joined the Delaware Air National Guard in 2007.

His career began as a maintenance officer on E-3 AWACS aircraft at Tinker AFB, and in the 1990s he deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operations Provide Comfort, Northern Watch and Southern Watch. He transferred to the 621st Air Mobility Operations Group, McGuire AFB, N.J., where he cross-trained into the logistics readiness field. He became only one of three non-rated fully qualified Tanker Airlift Control Element commanders in Air Mobility Command, deploying in support of Operation Allied Force to Oman and to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, as well as missions to support Presidents Clinton and Bush. He then became the Assistant Director of Operations in the AMC Test and Evaluation Squadron, becoming the sole logistics operational tester in AMC.

He left active duty and joined the U.S. Air Force Reserves as the Director of Operations for the 514th Airlift Control Flight. He was also the Advanced Logistics Readiness Officer Course Director in his civilian career. He accepted the position as 166th Aerial Port Flight Commander and the 166th Airlift Wing Environmental Manager in the Delaware Air National Guard. He volunteered to deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and was based at Al Taqaddum Air Base in central Iraq, west of Baghdad, as the Air Force Detachment Commander. Upon his return from Iraq he assumed command of the 166th Logistics Readiness Squadron.

Maj. Henske has received numerous military awards and decorations, including the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster, and the Navy Achievement Medal.

LIEUTENANT COLONEL HUNSICKER:

Lieutenant Colonel Dennis Hunsicker enlisted in the United States Coast Guard in 1976. He served ten years as an enlisted member of the Coast Guard, Coast Guard Reserve and Air Force Reserve. He was commissioned in 1986 as the distinguished military graduate of the Pennsylvania Military Academy. He is a career security forces member and has commanded both the 166th Security Forces Squadron and the 166th Logistics Readiness Squadron in the Delaware ANG.

He is a retired Lieutenant with the Pennsylvania State Police. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Services from Thomas Edison State College, Trenton, N.J. in 1983, and completed Air Force Squadron Officers School by correspondence in 1995. He graduated from the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy in 1996, and then completed the Air Command and Staff College by seminar in 2000. He completed the Air War College by seminar in 2006.

In 1976 he enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard, transferred in 1981 to the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, and in 1982 transferred to the 913th Tactical Airlift Group, Willow Grove, PA, serving as a combat arms instructor. In May 1985 to July 1986 he was an officer candidate at the Pennsylvania Military Academy, Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa. The next two years he served as an infantry officer in the Pa. National Guard

From 1986 to 2003 he served as Commander, 166th Security Forces Squadron, Delaware ANG, then served from Jan. 2003 to July 2007 as Commander, 166th Logistics Readiness Squadron.

Lt. Col. Hunsicker has earned numerous military awards and decorations, including the Meritorious Service Medal with one device, the Air Force Commendation Medal with one device, the
Air Force Achievement Medal with two devices and the Army Achievement Medal with one device.

The Delaware ANG has 1,000 members, and continually deploys personnel and subordinate units around the globe. This release is in the public domain, and any part may be used as written.

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