Charleston AFB welcomes new wing commander

Published May 12, 2009
By Trisha Gallaway
437th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- Col. John Wood took command of the 437th Airlift Wing during a change of command ceremony here May 8.

Colonel Wood, who was part of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force's Fellows Program at the Pentagon, officially assumed command of the 437th Airlift Wing from the outgoing wing commander, Col. John "Red" Millander, who commanded the wing since June 2007.

Colonel Wood is from Fremont, Calif., and was commissioned in 1989 after receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of California, Davis. He later earned his Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle University, Fla.

As a command pilot, Colonel Wood has 3,800 flying hours, primarily in the T-38, C-130, KC-10 and the C-17.

In addition to being a member of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force's Fellow's Program, Colonel Wood served as the 60th Operations Group deputy commander at Travis AFB, Calif., and was the commander of both the 32nd Air Refueling Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J., and the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates.

Following the change of command, Colonel Millander headed to the Pentagon where he will be the chief of the Air Force's Global Mobility Division.

In his last time addressing Charleston AFB members, he said, "I leave here knowing you are in the very, very, capable hands of Colonel Wood."

Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott III, 18th Air Force commander, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., presided over the ceremony and highlighted the accomplishments of Team Charleston during Colonel Millander's tenure.

"Red, during your command, the work that you and your Team Charleston has done as AMC's busiest wing has not gone unnoticed," he said. "The Department of Defense, Air Force and AMC thank you for all of your hard work. I know you have set the stage well for Colonel John Wood."

General Scott also told the crowd, "437th, get ready, you're getting one of the Air Force's finest."

After thanking General Scott for the opportunity to command Charleston AFB, Colonel Wood finally had the change to address Team Charleston as the newest commander of the 437th AW.

"I stand here honored and awed to look at the Airmen before me," he said. "I know my role is to serve our great nation and the best way for me to do that is serve you at Charleston. And that is what I plan to do."