EBBING AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ark. -- The 188th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group (ISRG) held a change of command ceremony here as Col Sara A. Stigler, who became the Wing’s vice commander, relinquished ISRG command to Lt. Col Michael P. Martin.
The ceremony was presided over by Col. Jeremiah S. Gentry, 188th Wing commander, and attended by friends, family, and coworkers of the official party.
“Mike, I asked if you were ready and you said you don’t know,” recalled Gentry. “Is anybody really ready? However, I know that you are, and I know you’ll do a fantastic job leading this organization.”
Martin’s military career began in 1993 when he enlisted in the Army infantry. He joined the Arkansas Army National Guard in 1995 before transferring to the Air National Guard in 1999. Martin earned his commission in 2001, and he is the first ever ANG intelligence officer to become a MQ-1B senior mission intelligence coordinator. He has amassed more than 2,332 intelligence operations supervisor hours in more than 20 years of military service.
After accepting command, Martin addressed his group. “To the ISR warriors, cyber wizards, and CSS ninjas who make up the 188th ISR Group…thank you for all that you do. You are killing it! The work you are doing across both mission areas is impacting everything from the strategic level all the way down to the tactical. I look forward to working with you all.”
The Arkansas Air National Guard's 188th Wing is based at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The 188th Wing features three primary mission sets: the MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; and space-focused targeting. The 188th Wing is composed of more than 1,000 Airmen.