HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- Twenty-two years ago, I arrived here at Hurlburt Field with the lofty goal of becoming an AC-130H Spectre navigator. Never did I imagine that I would one day earn the privilege to serve as the Commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing.
I GET the honor to serve because of all of you. There are so many incredible men and women across our joint team who have spent years, if not decades investing their energy, words of wisdom, and countless hours of raw unfiltered feedback.
I am prepared for this challenge because of my time spent stateside and downrange surrounded by quiet professionals in SERE, SPECTRE, DRACO, SPECIAL TACTICS, and on staff at AFSOC, the AIR STAFF and USSOCOM. I thank all of you for believing in me, when I may not have believed in myself.
As I take command, I make a solemn vow to always do the right thing for the right reasons. I promise to never ask you to do something I wouldn’t do myself. Each day I will work hard, leave it all out on the field and wake up to do it all over again. I’m not perfect but I will SHOW UP and strive to be the leader you all deserve to be led by.
The weight of this role is not lost on me and I stand here today knowing we are going to have some incredible days with unforgettable missions. I also know we will have some moments that may shake us to our core. However, despite the uncertainty that lies ahead, I’m confident that this team... our military, civilians, families, and our community… TOGETHER have the required firepower to penetrate the hardest of targets.
I look forward to working with you and getting to know you and your families in the months to come.
Thank you for your confidence in my ability to fearlessly lead. I am humbled to be a part of this organization’s next chapter as we accelerate change, and prepare our Air Commandos to meet the challenges of tomorrow’s highly competitive military environment.