Photo By Jodi Ames | Col. Jonathan Philebaum addresses the men and women of the 932nd Airlift Wing after...... read more read more
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. - The 932nd Airlift Wing at Scott Air Force Base held a change of command ceremony Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016.
Fourth Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. John C. Flournoy presided over the event, in which Col. Karl E. Goerke relinquished command to Col. Jonathan M. Philebaum.
Flournoy opened the ceremony by thanking base and community leaders for their continued support before giving a brief hail and farewell to the incoming and outgoing commanders.
"Thank you so much for being here as we bid a fond farewell to Col. Karl Goerke and welcome Col. John Philebaum," Flournoy said.
Speaking of Philebaum, he said, "Whether it's on the staff or operationally, he brings to this unit a ton of experience."
Before officially passing the guidon to his successor, Goerke took the opportunity to recognize the dedication of Airmen throughout the wing.
"I am proud and honored to have served side by side with each one of you. We have a culture of Air Force Core Values, living each day with courage, taking pride in our work, finishing what we start, doing what has to be done and doing it right, being accountable for our actions and saying more by talking less," Goerke said.
He continued, "These Citizen Airmen are your community members: your doctors, your bankers, your policemen, your firefighters, your teachers, your electricians and your nurses. Their community success is directly tied to the success of the 932d."
Upon assuming command of the wing, Philebaum reflected on the unit's legacy of leadership.
"It's been said that leaders are only as good as their followers. A brief review of some of the 932nd Airlift Wing former commanders quickly attests to this axiom," Philebaum said. "932nd, you are amazing to have bolstered those leaders into our Air Force leadership. I too recognize that I am here today because of the efforts of so many who have sewn so much into my life.''
The new commander continued saying, "No words are truer or more descriptive of the 932nd Airlift Wing than those of 12th-Century theologian and author John of Salisbury. 'We are like dwarfs sitting on the shoulders of giants. We see more ... not because our sight is superior or because we are taller than they, but because they raise us up, and by their great stature add to ours.' That's who you are, Gateway Wing."
To close the ceremony, Philebaum left the men and women of the unit with a reminder and a promise.
"To the members of the 932nd Airlift Wing, I remind you of our vision: An innovative, professional and unrivaled force postured to meet the global challenges of tomorrow," Philebaum said. "I will help you meet that vision. I will lead from the front. Being your commander is not just a job--it's my responsibility, my passion and my mission."
As commander of the 932nd Airlift Wing, Philebaum is responsible for ensuring the execution of the wing's mission to provide mission-ready Citizen Airmen supporting national interests worldwide, including distinguished visitor airlift, expeditionary combat support, and aeromedical care.
Philebaum most recently served as commander of the 512th Operations Group at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware where he oversaw Air Force Reserve flying operations and worldwide employment of the C-5M Super Galaxy and C-17A Globemaster III.
Goerke now serves as senior chief of the Deployment Distribution Operations Center at U.S. Transportation Command.
| Date Taken: | 02.07.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 02.17.2016 12:19 |
| Story ID: | 189040 |
| Location: | SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE , ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 195 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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