Photo essay: New commandant leads Expeditionary Operations School Published Sept. 26, 2011 By Tech. Sgt. Paul R. Evans 421st Combat Training Squadron JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX, N.J. -- Maj. Gen. William Bender, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center commander, presents the Expeditionary Operations School guidon to Col. Patrick Owens on Sept. 26, 2011, during a change of command ceremony at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. Owens took command from Col. Mark Ellis. The Expeditionary Operations School is housed at the Expeditionary Center on Joint Base MDL. The school is the Air Force Expeditionary Combat Support Center of Excellence dedicated to educate, train and exercise expeditionary combat support personnel in deployed operations. The school trains Airmen in a variety of combat support roles and ensures students graduate confident and capable of performing their mission across the globe and is responsible for developing and conducting Combat Airman Skills Training, security forces pre-deployment training, mobility intelligence education, and facilitating the Air Force Exercise Eagle Flag.