?Maj. Gen. Verle Johnston stepped down as commander of the New York Air National Guard and retired after 41 years in uniform, reported the Times Union of Albany. Johnson, a 1974 Air Force Academy graduate, had led the 5,900-member New York Air Guard since 2012. During his command, the organization transitioned from flying C-5s to C-17s and began operating MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft. National Guard officials honored Johnston on June 12 at a ceremony at the state’s Division of Military and Naval Affairs headquarters in Latham, according to the June 21 newspaper report. During his Air Force career, Johnston amassed more than 7,500 flying hours in cargo, tanker, and trainer aircraft. He served six years on Active Duty before transitioning to the Air Guard.
NASA Boss: Race to Moon Has National Security Stakes
Sept. 15, 2026
NASA is pushing hard to get astronauts back to the moon by 2028—and the urgency is driven in no small part by the national security implications of doing so before China does, Administrator Jared Isaacman said Sept. 15.
