Major General Promotion

  • Published
  • By Major Wayde Minami
  • 175th HQ
A Maryland Air National Guard general recently pinned on his second star during a ceremony held at Warfield Air National Guard Base in Baltimore.

Maj. Gen. Paul C. Maas, Jr., was promoted from the rank of brigadier general during a ceremony held at the base, which is home to Maryland's 175th Wing, May 22.

Joining Maas for the event were his wife, Donna, and his daughter, Taylor; his father, retired Senior Master Sgt. Paul C. Maas, Sr., and Valerie Quigg; his brother, Scott Maas, and his son, Evan; his brother, retired Master Sgt. Ronald Maas, and his wife, Anne; and his niece Jessica Griebel.

Master Sgt. Maas' son, Senior Airman Nick Maas, participated in the ceremony, and his daughter and son-in-law, Airman 1st Class Laura Sackett and her husband Staff Sgt. Tim Sackett, are stationed at Hurlburt Air Force Base, Fla., and were not able to attend.

Also attending the ceremony were Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Bruce F. Tuxill, former adjutant general of Maryland; Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Allyson R. Solomon, former assistant adjutant general-air of Maryland; Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Guy M. Walsh; former commander of the 175th Wing; Brig. Gen. (Sel.) Sean Casey, director of the joint staff, MDNG; Brig. Gen. (Md.) James Coleman, commander of the Maryland Defense Force; and other dignitaries.

The ceremony was presided over by Maj. Gen. Linda L. Singh, the adjutant general of Maryland.

"He's a consummate gentleman," Singh said of Maas. "I've always been very impressed with him. I've thought that he's just of the highest caliber of an officer that I can imagine."

Singh also praised Maas for the outstanding work he has done to bring cyberspace operations to the forefront of Air National Guard capabilities in his current position as the assistant to the commander, Air Force Space Command. Maas is the principal assistant on matters affecting Air National Guard forces supporting operations in the space and cyberspace domains.

"The role that General Maas has is incredible," Singh said. "I think that he is going to help lead us, really lead Maryland and represent Maryland in Space Command in much bigger positions than we can ever imagine." The Maryland Air National Guard currently has one network warfare squadron and is in the process of forming a cyberspace operations group.
Maas expressed his appreciation to the gathered friends, family and fellow National Guardsmen for their support.

"It is a huge honor to be in this position," Maas said. "And I really appreciate a lot of you in this audience, who have had an impact on me one way or the other."

Maas was commissioned in 1986 at the Air National Guard Academy of Military Science, McGhee-Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tennessee. He enlisted in the Maryland Air National Guard in January 1978 and rose to the rank of technical sergeant prior to his commissioning.

As a member of the Maryland Air National Guard Headquarters staff, General Maas helped lead the establishment of the first information warfare squadron in the Air National Guard. He has commanded at the flight, squadron and group levels.

Maas is a 1990 graduate of the University of Maryland and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Baltimore.