HARRISBURG – The Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, chaired by Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-33), advanced the nominations of nine Pennsylvania National Guard officers designated for promotion.
“These nine exceptional officers have a combined 272 years of service to our National Guard as citizen soldiers,” Mastriano said. “I am grateful for their service to our commonwealth and nation. I would also like to thank their families for the sacrifices they made along the way – for all the drill weekends, overseas deployments and emergency declaration responses when their loved ones were away. Each of these officers will be entrusted with the rank of general, and with that comes great responsibility. I am looking forward to working with each officer to ensure Pennsylvania continues to have the best National Guard in the nation.”
The committee unanimously reported the following officers’ promotions with a favorable recommendation:
- Col. Scott Harron, Air National Guard, nominated for brigadier general.
- Col. Lynn Lee, Air National Guard, nominated for brigadier general.
- Col. Brian Lehew, Air National Guard, nominated for brigadier general.
- Col. Jaime Ramirez, Air National Guard, nominated for brigadier general.
- Col. Traci Wallace, Air National Guard, nominated for brigadier general.
- Col. Frank McGovern IV, Army National Guard, nominated for brigadier general.
- Col. Francis Montgomery, Army National Guard, nominated for brigadier general.
- Col. Shawn Wray, Army National Guard, nominated for brigadier general.
- Brig. Gen. John Pippy, Army National Guard, nominated for major general.
Col. Harron serves as the Pennsylvania Air National Guard inspector general.
Col. Lee serves as the commander of the 111th Attack Wing at Biddle Air National Guard Base.
Col. Lehew serves as the commander of the 193rd Air Operations Group.
Col. Ramirez serves as the 193rd Special Operations Maintenance Group commander in Middletown.
Col. Wallace serves as the deputy director, Strategy, Policy, Plans and International Affairs Directorate, National Guard Bureau.
Col. McGovern serves as the warfighting functional proponent for all matters relating to legal matters.
Col. Montgomery serves as the 213th Regional Support Group commander for the National Guard and is in charge of two battalions consisting of 1,400 soldiers.
Col. Wray serves as the 2nd Brigade commander for the National Guard.
Gen. Pippy serves as the director of joint staff for the Pennsylvania National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap. He also served as a state legislator in the Pennsylvania Senate from 2003-12 and House of Representatives from 1997-2003.
The committee also reported Senate Resolution 311, sponsored by Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-24), which calls on Congress to take up federal legislation – the Treatment and Relief through Emerging and Accessible Therapy for PTSD or TREAT Act – authorizing the use of lifesaving therapy, known as stellate ganglion block, for veterans with PTSD.
The resolution and the officers’ nominations now proceed to the full Senate for consideration. Video of the committee meeting is available here.
