New plaque recognizes latest retirees at Kentucky Air Guard

Fifty-three retired members of the Kentucky Air National Guard were honored here April 18 when a plaque bearing their names was unveiled in front of the 123rd Airlift Wing’s Lt. Gen. John B. Conaway Headquarters Building.

Col. Matthew Quenichet, commander of the 123rd Airlift Wing, paid tribute to the Airmen in a speech before a crowd of friends, family and co-workers.

“This memorial stands for each and every retired member of this organization,” Quenichet said. “It serves to thank and remember all who gave their time and talent to make this a great wing. To remember their service is fitting, and is only a small payback for what they have given the state of Kentucky and this great nation.”

The black granite plaque is the newest addition to a monument that honors all Airmen who have completed 20 or more years of military service and retired from the Kentucky Air National Guard, dating back to the unit’s inception in 1947.

The annual plaque unveilings are made possible through donations from the non-profit Kentucky Air National Guard Retiree Group Inc.