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Sutterfield departs 455th EMXG, Blanks assumes command

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Rachel Martinez
  • 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan --  Their mission is to sustain effective combat operations despite numerous unit turnovers of personnel and aircraft - and under the leadership of Col. Jon Sutterfield they accomplished just that. 

Colonel Sutterfield, deployed from Headquarters Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base, Va., commanded the 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Group from Aug. 6, 2007 to July 17, 2008. He relinquished command to Col. Clifton Blanks during a ceremony here. 

"I tell my folks that our mission here is really three parts," explained Colonel Sutterfield. "The first part is to provide peace and stability to a newborn democracy and give people the opportunity to pursue their hopes and dreams like we do as Americans. Second, we provide fire power, combat search and rescue, airdrop and airlift to sustain and support combat operations outside the wire so the Soldiers, Sailors, battlefield Airmen and Marines can go home just like we do. Third and overall, our mission is really about protecting the American dream." 

Colonel Sutterfield often said great moments are born from great opportunities and he believes the Airmen at Bagram Air Field have opportunities to make those great moments. 

The first opportunity came in August, 2007, where the maintenance group was instrumental in a three-day fighter aircraft surge involving 122 sorties and 26 aircraft. 

"We significantly tested our airplanes and people and it was a total success," the colonel said. 

Another great opportunity and great moment presented itself to the maintenance group with the world-wide grounding of the F-15E fleet. The F-15s maintained by the men and women of the 455th EMXG were the only F-15s flying that week, maintaining a two-ship on alert status 24 hours a day to ensure uninterrupted air support for the troops on the ground. In addition to keeping the F-15s flying, the maintainers worked closely with the mission support group and military construction on building airfield infrastructure for the redeployment of the A-10s from Iraq and the HH-60 Pave Hawks from Kandahar, Afghanistan, as well as the bed-down of the first C-130Js in Afghanistan. 

Under Colonel Sutterfield's command, the 455th EMXG supported more than 15,700 sorties that employed more than 2.5 million pounds of ordnance, moved 69,000 passengers and 25,000 tons of cargo. 

"We sleep well in our beds because brave men women go forth into the night to bring violence to those who would do us harm," said Brig. Gen. Mike Holmes, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing commander, paraphrasing George Orwell. General Holmes presided over the change of command and presented Colonel Sutterfield with a Bronze Star Medal. "There's some truth to that and that's what we do in this wing. But the other part of that is, the brave men and women who go forth into the night sleep well in their beds because of maintainers. You are the backbone of this wing, and all that we do rests on your backs day in and day out - and you do not let us down." 

This deployment was Colonel Sutterfield's fifth trip to the region and longest since 1991. 

"It doesn't get better than being the MXG commander," he said. "In a few moments, the dream job will end for me. Leaving is a little bittersweet. If I have any regrets, it's that I can't personally thank every individual who's served here in the past 12 months and contributed to the mission and this great cause." 

To Colonel Blanks, the new 455th EMXG commander, Colonel Sutterfield said he is leaving a group of professional maintainers who are "fixing to fight." 

"Thank you for what you've done to truly build this group as the first one-year commander," Colonel Blanks said to Colonel Sutterfield. "My promise to you is that I will take them onward and upward. I've been inspired my whole career watching aircraft maintainers perform magic in the most challenging situations and I'm amazed by what I've seen here in just a few days." 

Colonel Blanks is deployed from Robins Air Force Base, Ga.