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Col. Hughes appointed Ill. Assistant Adjutant General-Air

  • Published
  • By Department of Military Affairs Illinois Army and Air National Guard
  • Illinois Army and Air National Gaurd Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Gov. Pat Quinn and Maj. Gen. William L. Enyart, Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard, announced the appointment of Col. John P. Hughes, of O'Fallon, Ill., as the Assistant Adjutant General - Air March 10. 

As Assistant Adjutant General - Air, Colonel Hughes is responsible for the command, control and operations of plans and programs affecting more than 3,100 Illinois Air National Guard Airmen located at locations near Belleville, Peoria and Springfield. His broad range of responsibilities includes ensuring combat readiness and mission capability of the three air wings and operations units and five mission support units. Colonel Hughes also supervises a full-time force of more than 900 federal and state employees. 

Colonel Hughes is currently the vice commander, 126th Air Refueling Wing. He has more than 35 years, serving six years as an enlisted Airman before commissioning in 1979. His officer assignments have included chief of supply, wing executive officer, budget officer, comptroller, Support Group commander, deputy commander for Resources, Logistics Group commander, chief of staff and vice commander. He was called to active duty in December 1990 supporting operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm as the 1712th Air Refueling Wing (Provisional) support group commander in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Colonel Hughes was also deployed in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. Colonel Hughes replaces retiring Brig. Gen. John "Jay" Sheedy who has served as the Assistant Adjutant General - Air since April 2007. 

Colonel Hughes holds a bachelor's degree in public administration from Roosevelt University, in Chicago, and a master's degree in public administration from DePaul University, in Chicago. 

The change of command will be effective April 1.