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Col. Michael Howard retires from military after 35 years of service

  • Published
  • By Emily Dech, Staff Reporter
  • Richland Source
MANSIELD, Ohio -- --  After 35 years of service, Col. Michael Howard, vice wing commander at the 179th Airlift Wing, is retiring from the military, effective April 30.

A native of Youngstown, Howard enlisted in the Air Force Reserve, 76th Mobile Aerial Port Squadron, located at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, in September of 1979. He served as an air cargo specialist.

"Once a month I would go from Cleveland down to Columbus for my guard duty," he recollected.

"That experience down in Rickenbacker, I found it very, very informative. First of all, it was my first military experience, so even though I was a little unconventional and unstructured and wasn't really sure of what I wanted to do, that kind of gave me some structure and balance."

Prior to his enlistment, he worked as a GS-03 military pay clerk at Navy Finance Center in Cleveland.

He earned an associate of arts degree at Cuyahoga Community College in 1978. In 1985, he earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Cleveland State University.

One year after getting his bachelor's degree, he obtained a position as an administrative officer at the 179th Airlift Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard. That same year he was commissioned as a second lieutenant, and he became the mission support flight commander at the 179th.

"That was a lot," he said of becoming a commander. "But I think having my first seven years being enlisted and being in a structured environment, I think that  gave me some of the tools and maybe the mental outlook that I needed to try to be effective as a commander."

He added, "It was never a position or a responsibility that I took for granted."

He's maintained the title of commander for close to 20 years. "And it's a title I've worn very proudly," he said.

From October 1987 to July 1988, he served as information support officer, and in 1988, he became the communications flight commander. Later, in 2007, he became the mission support group commander, and then in June of 2011, he became the vice commander. 

Throughout  his career at the 179th, he has served in numerous supplemental positions, including on-scene commander, wing community manager and deputy survival recovery center director.

Though it was difficult to select just one experience in particular that stands out among the rest, he said having the opportunity to deploy to Afghanistan ranks among the most memorable. During his deployment, it was encouraging, he said, watching as airmen of a younger generation worked together as a committed unit for one cause and duty.

"That was one of the most inspirational things I think I ever experienced," he said.

Overall, he's enjoyed being able to serve his country and local community as a member of the 179th Airlift Wing. "And I've enjoyed seeing some of the people who came in under me progress in their career and move onto bigger and better things, both in uniform and out of uniform," he added.

Although his military career is coming to a close, he will still be active in the community through his newest position as the executive director of the North End Community Improvement Collaborative. He started his term as the organization's executive director on Jan. 1 of this year.

Entering that position has helped "take the sting out of" his retirement from the military, he said. "Because I'm still serving in a different way and satisfying a need [to serve] that's in me, and apparently that's a big need; that's just the way that God put me together," he said.

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