Air National Guard Back in the Spotlight: WASHINGTON — The events of Sept. 11 have placed a spotlight on the Air National Guard that it has not had since 1991, according to the Guard’s director, Maj. Gen. Paul A. Weaver Jr. Until recently, the active-duty Air Force was slow to recognize the Air Guard’s potential, despite the critical role the service played in Desert Storm, Weaver said Friday. "Ten years ago, we could never get invited to the party, because we didn’t have the right weapons systems," Weaver said. After the Gulf War, Congress decided to fund two new fighter wings and avionics upgrades to many Air Guard fighters, particularly the organization’s older-model F-16s. Despite the modernization program, however, "Eight years ago, it was still like pulling teeth to get invited to participate in Northern and Southern watch," the Air Force patrol of Iraq’s no-fly zones, Weaver said. Then came Bosnia and Kosovo.