Brainerd High School Alumni
Brainerd, Minnesota (MN)
Ron Albers
Brainerd High School
Class of 1965
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RON'S PROFILE
| First Name | Ron |
| Last Name | Albers |
| Graduation Year | Class of 1965 |
| Gender | Male |
| Current Location | Gahanna, Ohio |
| Hometown | Brainerd, Minnesota |
| About Me | Check this out. It was done several years ago, but I am still involved with my French friends and will do another similar ceremony theis spring in France. http://www.wosu.org/archive/Serving_with_Honor/index.html COLONEL RONALD L. ALBERS (USAF, retired) Colonel Ronald L. Albers retired on 31 Dec 02 as Vice Wing Commander of the 121st Air Refueling Wing, Ohio Air National Guard, Rickenbacker International Airport, Columbus, Ohio. Colonel Albers was born Dec. 9, 1946, in Brainerd, Minnesota and graduated from Washington High School in Brainerd in 1965. Following extensive travels alone throughout Europe that summer, he returned to attend Brainerd State Junior College, graduating with an Associate of Arts degree in 1967. He then attended the University of South Florida in Tampa, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in English in March of 1969. His professional military education includes Air Command and Staff College and Air War College. Two days after college graduation, Colonel Albers was in Officer Training School (OTS) at Lackland AFB, TX, and he was commissioned a 2nd Lt on 30 June 1969. In mid-July 1970 he received his pilot’s wings upon graduating from UPT at Columbus AFB, MS. His entire active duty career was spent in the 301st Air Refueling Wing (32nd Air Refueling Squadron) at Lockbourne AFB (later Rickenbacker AFB) as a combat crew member in the KC-135 aircraft. During the Southeast Asia conflict, he flew 111 combat sorties and served three different tours from bases in Thailand - U Tapao, Don Muang, and Takhli - including flying operational missions covering the spans of both Linebacker I and Linebacker II (the 1972 summer and Christmas bombing of North Vietnam.) He separated from active duty in July 1974 as a captain and immediately joined the Ohio Air National Guard. Colonel Albers’ Guard career began as a copilot in the KC-97L aircraft with the 160th Air Refueling Group, but in early 1975 the unit became the first ANG unit to convert to the KC-135A; and he immediately resumed his role as an Aircraft Commander in the jet. For more than 20 years (1974 to 1994), Colonel Albers was a “traditional guard member” with full-time employment in downtown Columbus as a Safety and Human Resources Manager. His duties in the Guard included Instructor Pilot, Chief of Command and Control, and Flight Commander. During Desert Shield/Desert Storm he flew operational sorties as both a volunteer and an activated member of the 160th from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Dubai, United Arab Emirates for a total of more than four months. Effective 1 October 1994, the 160th ARG was deactivated, and the personnel and aircraft from the 145th ARS were merged into the 121st Air Refueling Wing, along with the people and planes from the former 166th TFS of the 121st TFW. In January 1995, Colonel Albers became a full-time Air Guard technician and served as the 121st ARW Chief of Safety until June of 1996, when he became commander of the Operations Group. In January of 2001, he was appointed to the position of Vice Wing Commander. Colonel Albers’ last assignment was as Commander of the 16th Expeditionary Operations Group at LeTube Air Base 125 near Istres, France, from 7 May 02 until 23 Oct 02. During this six-month period, he was responsible for all personnel, aircraft, and materiel used for aerial refueling support of Operation Joint Guard (the Balkans and Former Republic of Yugoslavia theatres.) Very shortly following his return from France, he retired as both a military member of the USAF and technician in the Ohio Air National Guard. Colonel Albers is a life member of the National Guard Association of the United States, Ohio National Guard Association, Ohio National Guard Enlisted Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, and Motts Military Museum (Executive Board Member/Treasurer.) He is also a member of the Historical Aircraft Squadron, Inc; Air Force Association; Military Officers Association of Central Ohio, and the American Legion. Colonel Albers is a Command pilot with more than 6900 hours of flight time in the KC-135A, E, and R model aircraft and is a graduate of the Air Force Combat Flight Instructor Course. His military decorations include the USAF Legion of Merit, USAF Meritorious Service Medal, USAF Air Medal with four bronze oak leaf clusters, USAF Aerial Achievement Medal, USAF Commendation Medal, Distinguished Presidential Unit Citation, USAF Outstanding Unit Award with four bronze oak leaf clusters, Combat Readiness Medal with one silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star, NATO Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze service stars, Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze service stars, Armed Forces Service Medal, USAF Overseas Short Tour Ribbon, USAF Expeditionary Service Ribbon with three bronze oak leaf clusters, USAF Longevity Service Award with one silver oak leaf cluster, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with one hourglass device, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, Air Force Training Ribbon, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon, Kuwait Liberation Medal ( Saudi Arabian gov), Kuwait Liberation Medal ( Kuwait gov), Ohio Commendation Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster, and the Ohio Faithful Service Ribbon with three bronze oak leaf clusters. Colonel Albers is married to the former Rebecca J. Smith of Youngstown, Ohio. They are the parents of two grown sons, Michael and Oliver, and reside in Gahanna, Ohio. Dates of Rank: 2nd LT 30 June 69 1st LT 30 Dec 70 CAPT 30 June 72 MAJOR 3...(read more) |
Class of 1965 Alumni and Other Nearby Classes
→ Reunite with 23 class of 1965 classmates that have joined.
Kristin Waldorf
Class of 1992
Jon Walter
Class of 1978
Kurt Schaff
Class of 1988
Ryan Hunt
Class of 1994
Cindy Ledoux
Class of 1979
Harvey Love
Class of 1961
Ron Beattie
Class of 1986
Barbara Linnerooth
Class of 1966
Sherrie Russell
Class of 1991
Scott Lanz
Class of 1989
Paul Fremling
Class of 1966
Ron Miller
Class of 1985
Bjarte Nataas
Class of 1994
Connie Oldon
Class of 1986
Laurie Potvin
Class of 1983
Craig Persson
Class of 1978
Kyle Peterson
Class of 2005
Todd Revenig
Class of 1987
Kelly Schiller
Class of 1998
Sharra Leifermann
Class of 1988
Benjamin Kucera
Class of 1998
Christopher Hudalla
Class of 1980
Judd Engelbrecht
Class of 1996
Carla Whiteman
Class of 1982
Recent Class of 1965 Reunions
Plan a Class of 1965 Reunion for Free
Class of 1965, 50th Reunion
Invited Classes: 1965
Date: Sep 25, 2015
Description: Planning Meetings are the 3rd Monday of every Month. Different area Restaurants in the Brainerd area. Check the Weekend ...(read more)