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Air Guard Commander Promoted To Major General

Photos and story by Tech. Sgt. Mark Olsen, NJDMAVA/PA

Brig. Gen. Martin getting pinnedThe Adjutant General of New Jersey Brig. Gen. Glenn K. Rieth and Mrs. Dee Ann Martin pinned on major general shoulder boards on then Brig. Gen. Clark W. Martin, Commander, New Jersey Air National Guard, July 1.

The ceremony was held at the Consolidated Headquarters for the New Jersey Army and Air National Guard at Fort Dix. Martin took command of the New Jersey Air National Guard June 23.

Maj. Gen. Martin was born in Atlantic City, and received his Bachelor of Arts in English from The Citadel, Charleston, S.C., in 1965 and his Masters in Systems Management from the University of Southern California in 1972. His military education includes Marine Command and Staff College and Air War College. He entered the Air Force in 1966, having been commissioned through the Air Force ROTC program at The Citadel. After completing navigator training at Mather Air Force Base, Calif., he served as a reconnaissance systems officer flying RF-4s with the 14th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, from 1967 to 1968. During that time he also served with the 23rd Tactical Air Support Squadron, Nakon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, as a forward air controller in the O-2A during the Tet offensive. During his Vietnam tour, he flew 153 combat missions, 100 of them over North Vietnam. In 1981, he joined the New Jersey Air National Guard in 1981. He is a master navigator with more than 3,500 hours of flying time, primarily in the F-4D/E.

His awards include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters, Presidential Unit Citation, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Combat Readiness Medal with eight oak leaf clusters, and the Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze service stars.