Assistant Adjutant General, Air
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Major General Barry Blanchard is the Assistant Adjutant General and
Commander, Mississippi Air National Guard. He is responsible to the
Adjutant General for directing Air National Guard operations, formulating,
developing, and coordinating all programs, policies, and plans ensuring
the mission readiness of the 172d Airlift Wing, 186th Air Refueling Wing,
and the Combat Readiness Training Center.
General Blanchard was commissioned through the United States Air
Force Academy in May 1992. He attended Undergraduate Pilot Training
at Columbus Air Force Base and received his wings in August 1993. He
then attended Graduate School at Texas A&M University earning a Master
of Science degree in December 1994. He served eleven years active duty
as a C-17A Instructor/Evaluator, Air Mobility Command and Air Education
and Training Command, before joining the Mississippi Air National Guard.
He currently has 19 years in the MSANG and has held command at all
levels of the 172 AW. A Command/Evaluator pilot with more than 4400
hours in the C-17A, General Blanchard has participated in Operations
SOUTHERN WATCH, ALLIED FORCE, ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI
FREEDOM, NEW DAWN, served two tours as Director of Mobility Forces
supporting domestic hurricane relief, and served as Dual Status
Commander JTF-MS supporting COVID operations in Mississippi. Prior to
assuming his current position, he was the Chief of Staff, Mississippi Air
National Guard, Jackson, Miss.