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New York Air National Guard gets a new commander during January 9 ceremony at New York National Guard headquarters

Brig. Gen. Gary Charlton II, a Skaneateles resident, will be promoted to two-star rank and take command during afternoon ceremonies

Latham, New York (01/08/2026) — New York Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Gary Charlton II, a Skaneateles resident, will be promoted to the two-star major general rank and become the commander of the 5,800- member New York Air National Guard on Friday, January 9, 2026.

Charlton will replace Major General Michael Bank, who is retiring as New York Air National Guard commander after 37 years of military service. He will serve concurrently as commander of the New York Air National Guard and assistant adjutant general, air.

Members of the press are invited to cover the ceremony at New York National Guard headquarters in Latham.

WHO: Brigadier General (one-star) Gary Charlton II, the incoming commander of the New York Air National Guard; Major General Michael Bank, the outgoing commander; Major General Ray Shields, the adjutant general of New York and the presiding officer for the ceremony; and men, women, and leaders of the New York Air National Guard.

WHAT: A promotion ceremony, during which Charlton will be promoted to two-star general, followed by a change of command ceremony during which Charlton will replace Bank. During the ceremony, the guidon of Headquarters, New York Air National Guard, will be passed from Bank to Shields in his role of commander of the New York National Guard. Sheilds will then pass the guidon, and the responsibility for the New York Air National Guard to Charlton.

WHEN: 3 p.m. Friday, January 9, 2025

WHERE: New York National Guard Headquarters, 330 Old Niskayuna Road, Latham, 12110.

Members of the press wishing to cover the event must contact the Division of Military and Naval Affairs public affairs office at 518-786-4581 for access to this secure military facility.

COVERAGE OPPORTUNITES:

Interviews with the new commander of the New York Air National Guard and video and still imagery of the promotion and change of command ceremonies.

BACKGROUND:

Brig. Gen. Gary Charlton II

Brig. Gen. Gary Charlton II currently serves as Assistant Adjutant General, Air for the New York National Guard, a full-time state position.

From 2018 to 2022 he commanded the 107th Attack Wing, based at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station. From 2022 to 2024, he served as the commander of the 105th Airlift Wing, which is based at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh.

In 2024, he served as director of operations for the Air National Guard at the National Guard Bureau before taking on his current role with the New York National Guard.

Charlton enlisted in the New York Air National Guard in May 1990 and served as a fuel systems technician. He graduated from Columbia College in 1995 learning a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology. He earned his officer's commission in 2000 and attended undergraduate pilot training in 2001.

Charlton completed initial F-16 qualification training in 2002 and served as an F-16C pilot flying with the 138th Fighter Squadron, at Hancock Field.

He has held the positions of flight, detachment, and squadron commander of the 138th Fighter Squadron; as well as 107th Operations Group commander and 107th Attack Wing vice commander.

Charlton is a combat veteran and has served on seven combat deployments, three while enlisted. These included Operations Desert Shield and Storm, and Northern Watch, and four additional deployments flying F-16C combat missions in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.

He has over 3,200 flying hours in the T-37, T-38A, T-38C, F-16C/D, MQ-1 Reaper and MQ-9 Predator, and the C-17 Globemaster III.

Charlton's awards include several awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Meritorious Unit Award, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Air Force Overseas Ribbon, and the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon.

Charlton holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Columbia College, and he is also a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College.

He and his wife Susan, have two daughters.

Major General Michael Bank

Maj Gen Michael W. Bank is Commander and Assistant Adjutant General of the New York Air National Guard. He is responsible for mission readiness and operational effectiveness across a broad spectrum of programs and activities encompassing over 5,800 people assigned to five flying Wings and four Geographically Separated Units.

Additionally, Bank served as the Air National Guard Advisor to the Air Mobility Command Inspector General, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. In this unique 'Dual-Hat' position, Bank provides critical insight, support, and advisement to ensure AMC and AMC-gained units meet necessary readiness levels to accomplish both nuclear and conventional mission taskings.

Bank earned his commission in 1988 through the four-year Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Florida State University while attending Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, where he received a Bachelor's of Computer and Information Systems degree.

While on active duty, Bank was an instructor navigator assigned to the 644th Bomb Squadron at K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base.

He joined the New York Air National Guard at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station in 1994 and has held numerous positions, including Chief of Wing Plans, Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Commander, 136th Airlift Squadron Commander, Operations Group Commander, and Wing Vice-Commander.

Bank is a former senior navigator in the B-52H and KC-135R with over 1,800 total flight hours and is currently a Command Pilot with over 5,000 total flight hours. He deployed to Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Deliberate Forge, Northern Watch, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom.

Prior to his current position, he was the commander of the 106th Rescue Wing.

He and his wife Kim are residents of Darien Center in Genesee County and have two adult children.

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Brigadier General Gary Charlton II

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