What: NC Air Guard Promotes its First African American General
When: Friday, Dec. 18, 1 p.m.
Where: North Carolina National Guard Joint Force Headquarters, 1636 Gold Star Drive, Raleigh
Media Contact On Site: Capt. Matthew Boyle Cell: 919-612-5061
Special Instructions: Media organizations should arrive by 12:45 p.m. in order to setup equipment and identify locations to capture footage of the event. The event will last approximately one hour.
NC AIR GUARD PROMOTES ITS FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN GENERAL
Sanford Man Earns His First Star Friday
RALEIGH – The North Carolina Air National Guard will promote Sanford resident Clarence Ervin to the rank of brigadier general tomorrow making him the first African American general officer in the N.C. Air Guard’s 67-year history.
Ervin will pin on the rank during a 1 p.m. ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard Joint Force Headquarters here.
Originally from South Carolina, Ervin enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1979 as a fuels specialist and transferred to the NCANG in 1985. He earned his officer’s commission in 1988 when he graduated from the Academy of Military Science at McGhee-Tyson Air National Guard Base near Knoxville, Tenn.
Ervin has served as NCANG’s chief of military equal opportunity, commander of the 145th Services Flight and the 145th Mission Support Group and as vice commander of the 145th Airlift Wing, all units located at the NCANG base at Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte.
Since 2013, Ervin has served on active duty as the NCANG director of staff at the Guard’s Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh. In his new role, Brig. Gen. Ervin will serve as the NCANG chief of staff. In civilian life, he is the Assistant Chief for Acute and Home Care Licensure and Certification with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
Ervin holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Saint Leo University and a Master of Health Administration from Pfeiffer University. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College. A highly-decorated leader, Ervin’s citations include the Legion of Merit and three awards of the Meritorious Service Medal. Ervin has two sons, Clarence Ervin, Jr., and Christopher.
Ervin’s parents, David and Gazella Hardin, will join him and his sons for the promotion ceremony. - 30 -
EDITORS AND PRODUCERS: Friday’s promotion ceremony will take place in the auditorium of the North Carolina National Guard Joint Force Headquarters, 1636 Gold Star Drive, Raleigh, N.C. Media are encouraged to cover the ceremony and to arrive by 12:45 p.m. The onsite media contact is Capt. Matthew Boyle at 984-664-6829, cell 919-612-5061 or matthew.i.boyle.mil@mail.mil.