Arkansas Air National Guard to welcome new commander, Vilonia resident Brig. Gen. Travis D. Balch, to accept command over state’s 2,000 Air National Guardsmen.will assume command of the Arkansas Air National Guard and its subordinate units:188th Fighter Wing in Fort Smith, 189th Airlift Wing at the Little Rock Air Force Base, 123rd Intelligence Squadron at the Little Rock Air Force Base, 154th Weather Flight at the Little Rock Air Force Base, Air National Guard Marksmanship Training Unit at Camp Robinson.
General Balch currently serves as the Chief of Staff, Headquarters, Arkansas Air National Guard. He assumed the position effective May 1, 2008. As the Chief of Staff he assists the commander and adjutant general in formulating, developing, and coordinating all programs, policies, and plans, ensuring the combat readiness of a fighter wing, the only Air National Guard C-130 training wing, intelligence squadron, marksmanship training center, weather flight, and a bombing range.
Brigadier General Balch was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He graduated from Lavaca High School in 1975. He graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1980, earning bachelor’s degrees in Zoology and Education. He joined the Arkansas Air National Guard in 1979 and was commissioned a second lieutenant after completing the Academy of Military Science in Knoxville, Tennessee. When the 189th Airlift Wing converted to the C-130 in 1986, he was hired full-time as an instructor pilot and has served in various positions including chief, current operations and chief, standardization/evaluation, 154th Training Squadron Commander, and the 189th Operations Group Commander, 189th Vice Wing Commander, and 189th Airlift Wing Commander before assuming his present position. He has accumulated more than 4,500 flying hours in commercial, trainer, tanker and airlift aircraft.