Col. Alan Ross leaves military service after four decade career

Loudonville Air Guard officer retires from 109th Airlift Wing

STRATTON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Scotia-Glenville, N.Y. (05/09/2018) — New York Air National Guard Col. Alan N. Ross, the Vice Wing Commander of the 109th Airlift Wing, retired after some 38 years of military service during a unit ceremony here May 4.

Ross, from Loudonville, New York, served as the assistant to the Wing Commander, providing leadership and management of the flying unit and the organizing, training and equipping of unit personnel.

The 109th Airlift Wing provides the unique capability of operating from unprepared ice and snow surfaces with two C-130Hs and 10 ski-equipped LC-130Hs

Ross is a command pilot with more than 7,000 flight hours, both fixed-wing and in helicopters, completing his career with the C-130H and ski-equipped LC-130H Hercules.

Colonel Ross entered military service in 1977, enlisting in the U.S. Navy. Two years later, he attended the U.S. Naval Academy, earning a bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering in 1983. He received his wings as a helicopter pilot in April 1985.

His first assignment was as a search and rescue pilot flying the SH-3G Sea King at Naval Air Facility Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory. He then served as an evaluator aircraft commander on the UH-46D Sea Knight at Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia, deploying to the Mediterranean onboard Naval supply ships and providing ship to ship and ship to shore cargo transport. At NAS Norfolk, he held squadron assignments as a Nuclear Weapons Training and Security Officer and Safety Officer. In 1990, Colonel Ross became an instructor on the UC-12B and SH-3G/H at NAS Oceana, Virginia Beach, Virginia and held assignments as Quality Assurance Officer and Assistant Maintenance Officer. He returned to NAS Norfolk with the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1994 as an HH-60H combat search and rescue pilot.

Beginning in July 1995, Colonel Ross took a short break from the U.S. military, working as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Albany, New York.

In 1998, he joined the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing, Scotia, New York. With the 109th AW, Colonel Ross has served as an instructor aircraft commander and functional check pilot on the C/LC-130H aircraft. He has supported the Wing in a variety of roles including Antarctic Operations Officer, Assistant Director of Operations, Chief of Wing Plans, 139th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron Commander, Operations Support Flight Commander, and, most recently, Wing Chief of Staff.

Ross is a graduate of the US Naval Academy, the FBI Academy, the Joint Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College.

His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with four devices, Aerial Achievement Medal with three devices, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three devices, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, Navy 'E' Ribbon with one device, National Defense Service Medal with one device and Antarctica Service Medal.

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