Wing welcomes Hurry as new IG

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Williams
  • 934th AW Public Affairs
Minneapolis-St. Paul ARS --  The 934th Airlift Wing has named Col. Charles Hurry as its inspector general, filling a position that has been vacant since the summer.

This is Colonel Hurry's first assignment with the 934th Airlift Wing, but he is not a stranger to the organization. The wing served as his pay office since he began his Air Force Reserve career in the individual mobilization augmentee program in 1993.

A native of central Minnesota, Colonel Hurry earned his bachelor's degree in Industrial Technology from Mankato State University before enlisting into the Air Force, where he became a computer operator at Beale Air Force Base, Calif.

After two years of enlisted duty, Colonel Hurry attended officer's training school and received his commission as a contracting officer and deployed as part of Operation Desert Storm. During the post-Desert Storm drawdown, he joined the IMA program as a contracting officer working with contract airlift for Air Mobility Command and the U.S. Transportation Command at Scott AFB, Ill.

"I've been a contracting officer for my entire career as an officer," the colonel said. "Plus, I've been an IMA for my entire reserve career, until now."

Prior to the commencement of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, Colonel Hurry ran his own certified financial advising business, but closed the shop when he deployed three times in support of the operation.

He was promoted out of his IMA position at the same time the 934th Airlift Wing was looking for a new IG. Being a current resident of Minnesota, it seemed to be a natural fit for the colonel to take on the special duty assignment.

"I've been impressed with seeing the facility improvements over the years with the new gym and lodging," he said. "You folks have done a wonderful job for me as my pay office since 1993. I've always been impressed."

Colonel Hurry will be attending inspector general's school in January before resuming his duties for the wing. Though he has always looked at reserve life through the eyes of an IMA, he is impressed with what he has seen about his new unit so far.

"It's just unbelievable how much stuff you guys can get done in just two days a month," he said. "I'm thoroughly impressed with how much you do here as a traditional reserve unit."