La. Guard holds retirement ceremony for distinguished colonel at Belle Chasse Academy
By Tech. Sgt. Cindy Au-Wiafe, 159th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office
BELLE CHASSE, La. — Col. Paul Perron, commander of the 159th Mission Support Group, was honored in a retirement ceremony hosted by the Louisiana Air National Guard at Belle Chasse Academy on Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, Nov. 2.
Brig. Gen. Jason Mahfouz, Louisiana National Guard assistant adjutant general-Army, called attention to the many accomplishments throughout Perron’s 40 years of service.
“Paul has had many leaders, peers, and teammates who invested in him along the way, which, combined with his own talents, helped him progress from a junior Airman to a full bird colonel and become the director of Cyber Security Operations for the Joint Force Headquarters,” said Mahfouz.
Perron started his career as a fitness specialist with the 3480th Air Base Group at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas in November 1984. In September 1987, he joined the Louisiana Air National Guard as an enlisted member of the 236th Combat Command Squadron in Hammond, Louisiana. He later received his commission as an honor graduate from the Academy of Military Science at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base in Tennessee.
Perron’s assignments have included vehicle maintenance specialist, operations officer, executive officer to the deputy combined forces component commander, officer-in-charge of operations, flight commander and cyber operations officer.
Perron continued his career as a commissioned officer thanks to the support and camaraderie of his family and peers.
“I came off of active duty with every intention to get out after I completed my two years on Palace Chase [an Air Force program that allows Airmen to transition from the Air Force to the Air Guard following completion of half of their original contract],” said Perron. “But it was because of the people who poured into me and invested in me that I found a home, I found a family, and I found an extension of what I had from my birth family.”
Perron deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, where he served as flight commander and executive officer for the deputy combined forces air component. He also participated in several humanitarian deployments throughout his career.
In retirement, Perron plans to focus on spending more time with his wife and family.