Ohio National Guard News

Ohio assistant adjutant general for Air
reflects on three-decade career

Story by Stephanie Beougher, Video by Sgt. Andrew Kuhn, Ohio National Guard Public Affairs

Brig. Gen. Greg Schnulo (from left), Ohio assistant adjutant general for Air, stands with his wife Kristen, daughter Sydney and son Nick, an airman first class in the Ohio Air National Guard, following Brig. Gen. Schnulo’s promotion ceremony Dec. 21, 2015, at the Maj. Gen. Robert S. Beightler Armory in Columbus, Ohio. Schnulo will retire this fall, with more than three decades of service to the Ohio National Guard. (Bill Pierce, ONG)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (08/21/17) — After more than 36 years of service in the Ohio Air National Guard, including two years as the assistant adjutant general, Brig. Gen. Gregory N. Schnulo is preparing for the next phase of his career. Schnulo will officially retire this fall from military service and take a global security position with a corporation based in central Ohio.

His love of the military started early, when as a child in his northeast Ohio hometown of Champion, he’d watch planes fly out of the U.S. Air Force Reserve base near Youngstown. He joined the reserves right out of high school.

“When I graduated basic training, all the National Guard guys were sewing on stripes and talking about free college tuition,” Schnulo recalled. “I graduated from basic training as an E-1, with no stripes, and the reserves didn’t have free college. So I spent the next couple of years trying to get into the Ohio National Guard.”

He successfully entered the Ohio Air National Guard and started his career in 1983 at what is now the 121st Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus. Initially, Schnulo’s plan was to serve six years — just enough time to get his first enlistment and earn his college degree before leaving for a civilian job.

“Luckily for me, that’s not how it worked out. I tell people my whole career has been based on timing and luck,” he said.

While he did graduate with a degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Schnulo stayed in the National Guard and became a master navigator, with more than 2,900 hours flying with the 121st.

Reflecting on his various assignments during the more than three decades, he said the highlight would be the time he spent as the commander at the 178th Wing in Springfield and working with “the great people who are doing great missions.”

His military career has also provided an opportunity to travel. He’s flown in support of Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Northern Watch and Detainee Movement Operations. He’s received numerous awards and decorations, but it’s an award hanging on his office wall presented to him in 2016 by the Ohio Air National Guard chief master sergeants that means the most to him.
“It gives me the honorary rank of chief master sergeant. For the chiefs to recognize me for being a friend of the enlisted corps is pretty special,” Schnulo said.

His advice to all Airmen is to be proud of what they are accomplishing, be open to change and look for new opportunities within the Guard.

As he prepares for the transition to the civilian workforce, Schnulo is thankful for the opportunities the Ohio National Guard has provided.

“I appreciate the organization that would give someone like me the opportunity to go from E-1 to brigadier general,” he said.