Alaska Air National Guard stands up Recruiting Flight, Lambert assumes command
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Lt. Col. Glenna Lambert assumed the mantle as the first commander of the Alaska Air National Guard Recruiting Flight during a Sept. 25, 2026, ceremony in Anchorage that also served as the flight’s activation.
In her remarks during the ceremony, Lambert said the reorganization goes beyond a name change.
“Today is about more than standing up a new organization,” she said. “It represents a commitment to the future of the Alaska Air National Guard, and I am incredibly proud and humbled to be part of this next chapter.”
Lambert said the flight’s mission is more than recruiting for critical billets in AKANG Headquarters, 168th Wing and 176th Wing.
“Our job is not simply to fill vacancies,” Lambert said. “We are here to find the next generation of Airmen, connect them with opportunities, and show them what it means to serve something bigger than themselves.”
Senior Master Sgt. Christopher Fronapfel, AKRCF senior enlisted leader, said the ceremony marked the culmination of months’ of work reorganizing two recruiting offices, one for each wing, into a single unit with a headquarters, adding more recruiters, a marketing noncommissioned officer, a training and evaluation NCO, and an administration NCO, all answering directly to the AKANG commander and director of operations.
“Manpower is key,” Fronapfel said. “In Alaska, we don’t have the population centers that other states have. Additionally, our population centers are spread out over a vastly larger area. This requires more manpower to dig through a lot more earth to find gold.”
Brig. Gen. Keolani Bailey, AKANG commander, underscored the significance of the event.
“This is so much more than just standing up a new unit,” Bailey said. “Colonel Lambert, Senior Fronapfel, their amazing team and our outstanding leaders in both wings are advancing a cultural transformation within the Alaska Air National Guard. We are focused on attracting the best and the brightest to serve, develop and lead on the varsity team – Team AK. Our ‘service before self’ recruiters are elevating people to become part of something far bigger than any one of us, in service to Alaska and our nation.”
Having already served as leader of the organization for several months, Lambert said she has been impressed with the Airmen working every day, including weekends, to recruit more Alaska Air National Guard members and retain Airmen already in uniform. “We have an incredible group of professionals who bring experience, dedication, creativity, and a genuine desire to make a difference,” Lambert said. “What makes this team special isn’t just what each person brings individually, it’s how we come together as a team.”
Lambert said effective recruiting and retention is oftentimes a battle of inches involving building strong relationships with Alaska’s communities, families, organizations and individuals.
“Every conversation matters,” Lambert said. “Every school visit matters. Every community event matters. Every person we inspire to serve matters. Because the Airmen we recruit today will become the leaders of tomorrow.”
Lambert said the flight’s Airmen reflect the opportunities they represent.
“I believe deeply in this team,” she said. “I believe in our recruiters, our leadership, and what the Alaska Air National Guard has to offer the people of this great state.”
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