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New commander takes command of maintenance group

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Michael O'Connor
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing public affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Airmen assigned to the 386th Expeditionary Maintenance Group welcomed their new group commander during a change of command ceremony here June 15.

Colonel Robert Swisher, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing commander presided over the ceremony as Col. Herbert Phillips assumed command from Col. Charles Westgate III.

Colonel Phillips is coming in from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, where he was the chief of the logistics readiness division for Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command. He led a 70-person division to develop and implement command policy for fuels, logistics plans, supply chain management, transportation and vehicles for 14 units on 11 installations.

"This has been a long day coming and I've been looking forward to it for a long time," said Colonel Phillips. "This is a responsibility I take with great pride and don't take lightly."

To the men and women of the maintenance group he said, there will be many challenges and changes in the coming months. He said his expectation is for every Airman to embrace these challenges and changes and ensure that the group's support to the wing, coalition partners and troops in combat never falters.

"Let us never forget that we are still a military at war and lives depend on what we do and how well we do it," said Colonel Phillips. "Our mission is too critical for us to take our eyes off the ball for one minute."

During the ceremony, Colonel Swisher had some parting words for Colonel Westgate who he commonly refers to as 'Magic' for his group's ability to generate combat sorties in dust storms and 120-plus degree heat.

"I gave Colonel Westgate the call-sign 'Magic' because this guy can make magic happen down on the flightline and he's had an outstanding year here," said Col. Swisher. "There's never been a visitor here that we didn't spend time crowing about the fantastic maintainers we have out there and the fantastic job that they're doing. You all are a credit to maintainers across the Air Force."

Colonel Swisher said it just hit him today that 'Magic' wasn't going to be there anymore, but said Colonel Phillips is an old friend and school mate of his and is thrilled to see him coming in to take command of this group.

Prior to rendering a final salute to his group, Colonel Westgate summed up his year as the commander.

"Everybody knows being away from family is never fun, but if you're going to be away from family this is the place to be," said Colonel Westgate. "I think one of the keys to our success is our ability to work together with our coalition partners and all the group partners across the base.

"We are in the thick of the mission. We are in the thick of trying to make life better for everyone up north and across the world," he said. "To be here, to be apart of that, and to be with these great Airmen has been a real pleasure and a real honor."

Colonel Westgate's next assignment will be as a student to the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C.