NANA
United States Coast
Guard Roll-in Ceremony
O
n June 24, 2016, government
officials, community members,
and veterans rolled one of two
Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk
helicopters into a newly leased facility in
Kotzebue, Alaska. The Alaska National
Guard turned over its aviation operations
facility to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)
for a five-year lease agreement to provide
USCG Arctic operations in the Arctic
region. After the roll-in event, the entire
community of Kotzebue was invited to
a barbecue lunch hosted by local civic
leaders at the Alaska Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities
building at the airport. This is the Coast
Guards first long-term lease of an
operating post north of the Arctic Circle.
(Top Right) The Coast Guard Rear Adm. Michael
McAllister, commander, 17th District, receives
a symbolic key to the Alaska Army National
Guard Aviation Operations Facility from Brig.
Gen. Laurel Hummel, adjutant general, Alaska
National Guard, during the roll-in ceremony.
(Bottom Left) Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott addresses
the audience during the ceremony.
(Bottom Right) Government officials, military
veterans and local leaders roll-in a Air Station
Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter into the newly
leased Army National Guard Aviation Operations
Facility in Kotzebue, Alaska.
Elder John Schaeffer
Honored During National
Guard Hanger Dedication
T
he Alaska National Guard dedicated
the Guard's aviation hanger in
Kotzebue to retired Maj. Gen. John
Schaeffer, Jr. in Kotzebue on August 9,
2016. Alaska Department of Military and
Veterans Affairs and Alaska National Guard
leadership honored Schaeffer and his family
for his lifetime of service to Kotzebue, the
region, his state, country, and military
during the community-wide ceremony.
Sadly, John passed later that month.
Some of the first discussions of what
became the Northwest Alaska Native
Association, which preceded NANA
Regional Corporation, took place in the
dining room of John Schaeffer’s home in the
summer of 1966. Soon after, Schaeffer was
elected president of the Association. “Exactly
50 years ago, Johnny [Schaeffer] was our
first hire for the Northwest Alaska Native
Association to pursue our land claims,”
said Willie Hensley during the ceremony.
After the signing of the Alaska Native
Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) in 1971
and the formation of NANA, Schaeffer
left his position as a Major with the
National Guard and returned to Kotzebue
to assemble NANA staff. By 1972, he was
elected as the first CEO and President of
NANA. He held that role until 1984.
Alaska Governor Walker thanks General Schaeffer and his wife Mary before beginning his remarks.
“Alaska will survive whatever comes its
way because of people like General John
Schaeffer,” remarked Alaskan Governor
Bill Walker at the ceremony. Governor
Walker expressed a high level of respect
and admiration for all the contributions
that Maj. Gen. Schaeffer made to the
state and region for the past 60 years.
Schaeffer was born and raised in Kotzebue
and enlisted in the Alaska Army National
Guard in 1957. He joined the Eskimo Scouts,
and later served as the Commissioner
of the Alaska Department of Military
and Veterans’ Affairs and the Adjutant
General of the Alaska National Guard.
Schaeffer was the nations first Iñupiaq
two-star general and served in his role
as adjutant general from 1986 to 1991.
The facility will be called the Qipqiña Hanger, after John Schaeffer’s Iñupiaq name.
HUNTER 2016 AUGUST / SEPTEMBER
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