Wing change of command ceremony might mark historic first

  • Published
  • By Maj. Erin Karl
  • 916th Public Affairs Office
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  In keeping with tradition, command of the 916th Air Refueling Wing changed hands Sunday at precisely 9:16 a.m. Col. Randall A. Ogden relinquished command to Col. Gregory S. Gilmour in a ceremony held in the Corrosion Control Hangar. The presiding officer was visiting 4th Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Mark Kyle.

What made this predictable event a little more notable was that all three commanders had once been helicopter pilots.

As members of the 916th stood in crisp formation, Kyle, who flew helicopters from 1981-1994, began the ceremony by praising the work of its outgoing commander, Ogden. He said that Ogden, a helicopter pilot for 13 years before moving to the KC-135R, was one of the finest officers he'd ever worked with and that his work here at the 916th had been exemplary.

Before the guidon was passed, Odgen took time to thank his family, the members of the wing, and visiting military and civilian dignitaries.

"You made the fight easy, you made the race go quickly, and together, I believe we have kept the faith with each other, with our great community and with our nation," he said

Once Col. Gilmour, a helicopter pilot with the Navy, assumed command, he thanked his family for their support. He spoke of his wife's successful battle with cancer. "I wish that I had her strength and courage, but it is that strength and courage that has kept me going during the good and bad times."

He next addressed the members of the wing.

"To the men and women of the 916th Air Refueling Wing ... I am extremely proud to be your new commander," said Col. Gilmour.

He laid out his priorities: the people, the mission, and constant improvement.

"This wing has got a 26-year history of excellence and my job is to continue that and enhance that. How am I gonna do that? My job is to take care of the people," Gilmour said. "Your job, your priority, is to take care of your families. If you do not take care of your families, everything else is out the window. So when you come here to work for me, give me 100 percent and then go back to your families and give them 110 percent, because they're gonna need it."

He ended with this, "I look forward to meeting each and every one of you as we protect and defend our great nation together. You are all patriots and I am proud to serve with you."