HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. — The Massachusetts National Guard will host a joint change of command ceremony on December 7, 2025, at Joint Force Headquarters, marking a transition in leadership for both the Army and Air components.
Brig. Gen. Mark E. Kalin will relinquish command of the Massachusetts Army National Guard to Brig. Gen. Richard P. Cipro.
Brig. Gen. Joseph F. Morrissey Jr. will relinquish command of the Massachusetts Air National Guard to Brig. Gen. Lisa Ahaesy.
WHAT: Massachusetts Guard Army and Air joint change of command ceremony
WHEN: Sunday, December 7, 2025, at 11:00 am
WHERE: Joint Force Headquarters, Assembly Hall,
2 Randolph Road, Hanscom AFB, MA 01731
Maj. Gen. Gary W. Keefe, the adjutant general of the Massachusetts National Guard, will preside over the ceremony.
“It’s been a career defining privilege and honor to lead the talented and dedicated men and women of the Massachusetts Army National Guard, said Brig. Gen. Kalin. “Our Soldiers exemplify the Guard motto ‘Always Ready, Always There’ in everything they do.”
Kalin began his career as a Rifleman in the 104th Infantry Regiment before commissioning through the Massachusetts Officer Candidate School program. He has commanded at every level in the organization and held numerous key staff positions. He also served a dual-hat role as the Deputy Commanding General for First Army, Division East.
His operational experiences include deployments to Bosnia and Afghanistan and serving as a dual-status commander during the COVID pandemic. Kalin is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College and holds master’s degrees in emergency management and strategic studies.
“It is a great honor and privilege to have been selected to lead the soldiers of the Massachusetts Army National Guard,” said Brig. Gen. Cipro. “We remain ready and committed to serving our Commonwealth and our Nation.”
Cipro joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1985 and entered the Massachusetts Army National Guard in 1991. He commissioned in 1999 as the distinguished honor graduate of the Massachusetts OCS program and has since held command at the company, battalion and brigade levels.
His mobilizations include service in Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Cipro also serves as a sergeant with the Worcester Police Department. He holds degrees from Worcester State, Anna Maria College and the U.S. Naval War College.
“It has been an honor and a privilege serving our great Nation over the past four decades, said Brig. Gen. Morrissey. “I have been blessed to served alongside expectational Soldiers and Airmen. I wish the entire Massachusetts National Guard continued success in their future missions. Nation’s First!”
Morrissey, who enlisted in the Air Force in 1981 and joined the Massachusetts Air National Guard in 1987, leaves after more than 40 years of military service. His career includes multiple command assignments and overseas deployments.
He previously led the 267th Combat Communications Squadron, the 253rd Cyberspace Engineering and Installation Group, and the 202nd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group. His deployments included service in Iraq as commander of the 506th Expeditionary Communications Squadron and assignments in Afghanistan supporting cyber and communications operations.
Morrissey is a graduate of UMass Lowell and Boston University and played a key role in developing the Air Guard’s cyber and ISR capabilities.
“I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to lead the Massachusetts Air National Guard,” said Brig. Gen. Ahaesy. “Our Airmen embody excellence in every mission, and it is a privilege to serve alongside them as we continue strengthening readiness for the Commonwealth and the nation.”
Ahaesy enlisted in the Massachusetts Air National Guard in 1988 and received her commission in 1997. She has served in a variety of leadership roles, including commander of the 104th Mission Support Group and the 102nd Security Forces Squadron.
Her deployments include assignments with Combined Joint Task Force–Horn of Africa as director of strategic communications and service with a joint special operations task force in Afghanistan as the lead information operations officer. Ahaesy holds degrees in communications and criminal justice and has extensive domestic operations and wing transformation experience.
The change-of-command ceremony will be livestreamed and made available to the public on YouTube at youtube.com/massnationalguard.
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The Massachusetts National Guard is a dual-mission force of more than 8,000 Soldiers and Airmen who support state emergency response operations and provide trained units for federal missions around the world. Established in 1636, The Massachusetts National Guard is the oldest military organization in the Unites States. The Nation’s First has served the commonwealth and the nation for more than 388 years and has participated in nearly every American war from 1775 to the present.