CHAMPAGNE FLIGHT CEREMONY IN HONOR OF LTGEN KINTANAR JR

Submitted by AFPAO on Mon, 10/07/2019 - 13:51

LTGEN GALILEO GERARD RIO KINTANAR JR AFP, the 35th Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force, has flown the T-41 aircraft for the last time as a military aviator during his Champagne Flight Ceremony at the Air Education, Training and Doctrine Command.

Born in Baguio City, LTGEN KINTANAR AFP has taken the first step of fulfilling his dream when he entered the Philippine Military Academy in 1981 and finished number four among the 209 members of PMA “Sandiwa” Class of 1985, graduating as a "Starman". He topped his Undergraduate Pilot Training class in 1987 and received the McMicking award. Upon graduation, he was assigned at 15th Strike Wing in Major Danilo Atienza Air Base, Sangley Point, Cavite City and flown the AT-28D “Tora-Tora” aircraft as a Flight Commander and Test Pilot. He finished his Squadron Officer Course at Air University, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama, USA as a Distinguished Graduate and was subsequently assigned at the PAF Flying School in Lipa City. He was designated with several positions in the then AETC as Squadron Commander of 556th Air Base Squadron in 1999, Squadron Commander of 101st Pilot Training Squadron in 2000 and Group Commander, 550th Air Base Group from 2000 to 2003. With his exemplary display of professionalism, he was assigned at Headquarters Philippine Air Force as the Secretary of Air Staff from 2003 to 2005. He took his Command and General Staff Course in 2006 and graduated number one in his class. He was then assigned in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics from 2006 to 2008. He also became the Wing Commander of 15th Strike Wing for three years before he was designated as the Chief of Air Staff in 2015. After his stint as the Commander, AETDC in 2016, he was appointed as the Commander of Western Command in Puerto Princesa, Palawan for two months before being designated as the 35th Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force from 2017 to 2018.

LTGEN KINTANAR JR in his speech shared, “I am a grass, I was also a flower. I am going to fade, I am going to wither. But what is more important maybe, is the realization that beneath that grass is a soil - a soil that will be there forever, that will make the grass grow, that will make flowers bloom. God Almighty is that soil.”

LTGEN KINTANAR JR is happily married to Dr. Ma. Marlene Kintanar. They are blessed with two daughters, Janelle Patrica and Marie Abigail.

Courtesy of: Air Education, Training and Doctrine Command