353rd SOG welcomes new commander

Col. William C. Freeman accepts the guidon from Maj. Gen. Morris E. Haase, Air Force Special Operations Command vice commander, during an Assumption of Command ceremony held May 8, 2015 on Kadena Air Base, Japan. The 353rd Special Operations Group is the only Air Force Special Operations unit in the Department of Defense’s largest area of responsibility. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Kristine Dreyer)

353rd SOG welcomes new commander

Col. William C. Freeman, 353rd Special Operations Group commander, addressed the group, during an Assumption of Command ceremony held May 8, 2015 on Kadena Air Base, Japan. The 353rd Special Operations Group is the only Air Force Special Operations unit in PACOM. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Kristine Dreyer)

353rd SOG welcomes new commander

Members of the 353rd Special Operations Group render their first salute to their new commander, Col. William C. Freeman during an assumption of command ceremony May 8, 2016 on Kadena Air Base, Japan. The 353rd SOG is the Air Force’s only special operations unit in the Pacific. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Kristine Dreyer)

353rd SOG welcomes new commander

Published May 11, 2015
By Tech. Sgt. Kristine Dreyer
353rd Special Operations Group Public Affairs

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Col. William C. Freeman assumed command of the 353rd Special Operations Group during a ceremony held May 8 at Kadena Air Base, Japan.

Maj. Gen. Morris E. Haase, Air Force Special Operations Command vice commander and presiding officer, presented the guidon to Freeman during the ceremony.

The 353rd Special Operations Group, formerly commanded by Col. Ben Maitre, is comprised of nearly 800 Airmen and is AFSOC’s only Special Operations Group operating in the Department of Defense’s largest Area of Responsibility.

After taking command, Freeman addressed the group recognizing the Airmen along with their families.

“Thank you for your sacrifices and your passion to be the best,” Freeman said. “We are here because of the mission, but our success is due to the superior performance of our Airmen and the support of their families.”

The group’s lineage began 71 years ago with the 3rd Air Commando Group and continued into the Vietnam with the 553rd Reconnaissance Wing. Freeman closed the ceremony by acknowledging the group’s past and present while looking toward the future.

“You honor the 3rd Air Commandos and the 553rd Batcats not only as the finest combat aviators, maintainers, and enablers in the world, but also the finest officers, NCOs, and Airmen,” Freeman said. “Thank you for your relentless drive to be the best and for constantly pushing each other to raise the Batcat Standard. I am truly humbled to now serve as your Commander. I’ll leave you with this quote: ‘Amateurs train until they get it right, Professionals train until they can’t get it wrong.’ Now, go out and honor those who have gone before us…as professionals.”