JULY 21, 2025 – Wisconsin National Guard Soldiers and Airmen offered more than 690,000 guests from 80 countries a first-hand look at the mission of the National Guard during the Experimental Aircraft Association’s 2025 AirVenture July 21-27.
Guard members conducted multiple public forums to introduce attendees to various aspects of military service; provided static displays of Wisconsin National Guard aircraft, vehicles, and accessory equipment; and performed a large-scale demonstration showcasing their warfighting capabilities.
U.S. Air Force Col. Aaron Gulczynski, the director of domestic operations, strategic plans and training for the Wisconsin National Guard, oversaw the organization’s involvement.
Under Gulczynski’s leadership, the Guard’s participation was restructured as a joint task force, allowing for greater organization, integration and oversight of the numerous Army and Air National Guard elements involved.
“While there has always been strong National Guard support for the EAA [Experimental Aircraft Association] air show, it was typically arranged at the unit level, limiting opportunities for coordination,” Gulczynski said. “By supporting the EAA AirVenture as a joint task force, like we do for domestic operations, we were able to build a little more structure, greatly enhancing our ability to support the event.”
U.S. Army Master Sgt. Jeffery Piel, senior noncommissioned officer in the Wisconsin National Guard Provost Marshal’s office, served as the noncommissioned officer in charge of Joint Task Force EAA. As the noncommissioned officer in charge, he was tasked with ensuring that the Soldiers and Airmen participating were fully supported and prepared to accomplish their respective assignments.
“Everything seemed to go seamlessly,” Piel said. “Not because we’re always the best planners, but because we have what I consider to be the best team. Soldiers and Airmen that are fully integrated and committed to the mission at hand.”
Piel relayed that the extreme temperatures during the event presented a unique challenge, but one that participating Guard members rose to meet.
“The heat resulted in multiple instances of EAA guests experiencing heat injuries that our Soldiers and Airmen were able to respond to,” he said. “They were able to step in and really exemplify their commitment as Guard members to serve not only their nation, but their communities and neighbors in times of crisis.”
Among the various Wisconsin National Guard aircraft and vehicles on display was an HQ-16 towable surrogate target – a full-scale training aid built to familiarize fifth-generation pilots with modern surface-to-air missile systems they could encounter in a combat scenario.
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Alan Hughes, a vehicle maintenance specialist assigned to Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center, was on hand to explain the purpose of the display to curious air show attendees.
“This has been a great opportunity to share with the public what we do,” Hughes said. “People are often familiar with our aircraft, but may not understand all the effort that goes into getting those planes into the fight. Our HQ-16 target display offers a tiny snippet of all the behind-the-scenes work that goes into keeping our pilots and aircraft combat-ready.”
U.S. Air Force Col. Bart Van Roo, the Wisconsin Air National Guard director of operations and strategic planning, was charged with flying safety and the operational execution of National Guard assets throughout AirVenture, culminating in a Wisconsin National Guard capabilities demonstration July 25.
The demonstration highlighted the joint capabilities of the Wisconsin National Guard and featured the 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation’s UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, the 128th Air Refueling Wing’s KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft, the 115th Fighter Wing’s F-35 Lightning II aircraft and the 1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery Regiment’s 105mm howitzers.
“It takes a great deal of coordination to conduct this type of demonstration safely,” Van Roo said. “It involved months of planning, a full-scale brief the week before and the Monday of the show, two full executions of the flying demonstration at Volk Field the day prior and a full performance brief the morning of the demonstration.”
The Wisconsin National Guard’s close ties to EAA began with the organization’s founder, Lt. Col. Paul Poberezny, who retired from military service with more than 30 years in the U.S. Air Force and Wisconsin Air National Guard.
Van Roo relayed that the addition of the capabilities demonstration in 2023 has been a tremendous opportunity to honor Poberezny’s legacy while introducing a steadily growing audience to the mission of the Wisconsin National Guard.
While acknowledging that there are always opportunities for improvement, Gulczynski considered the initial iteration of Joint Task Force EAA a success, recognizing the efforts of the Guard members who made it possible.
“We had Soldiers and Airmen from throughout the state directly engaging the public through speaking engagements, beside static displays and at recruiting booths,” he said. “Each one showcasing what it means to be a Wisconsin National Guardsman.”
By Senior Master Sgt. Paul Gorman
Wisconsin National Guard