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438th AEW Change of Command

  • Published
  • By Capt. Rob Leese
  • 438th AEW PAO
KABUL, Afghanistan --  Gen. David Petraeus, commander of International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Afghanistan, Lt. Gen. William B. Caldwell, commanding general of NATO Training Mission and Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan, Lt. Gen. Gilmary Hostage, commander of U.S. Air Forces Central Command in Southwest Asia, were on hand during the change of command ceremony between Brig. Gen. Michael Boera and Brig. Gen. David W. Allvin held on the Afghan Air Force base in Kabul, Afghanistan on Sep. 7, 2010.

The name change from Combined Air Power Transition Force to NATO Air Training Command represents the organization's transition from a predominantly U.S.-led mission to a broader NATO command. U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Michael Boera, the outgoing commander, will be assigned as the Director of Plans and Programs for Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base, Va.

Lt. Gen. Caldwell spoke about Boera's legacy, "During his time as the Commander of this organization, working shona ba shona or shoulder to shoulder with our Afghan partners, Boe oversaw four areas while supporting the development of the Afghan Air Force: the Build of...Aircraft, Airmen, and Infrastructure, and Operational Capability. While Boe was in command the Afghan air fleet increased from 42 to 50 airframes, including adding the C27 and increasing the number of Mi-17 version fives. Afghan airmen increased from 2,800 to over 3,900, and their capability, from planning operations to conducting them, dramatically improved. Boe oversaw facilities, systems, and operations across this nation - from wings in Kabul and Kandahar, to a detachment in Shindand and 4 detachments in 8 future Afghan wing locations."

U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. David Allvin, assumed command of the newly-named NATO Air Training Command and 438th Air Expeditionary Wing. While the name has changed, the mission remains the same continue to improve the AAF structure and increase their fleet of airframes, educate their Airmen, build their facilities, and increase their capability to plan and conduct operations in defense of their country.