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AMC TES Det. 3 welcomes new commander

  • Published
  • By Susan G. Gotta
  • AMC Test and Evaluation Squadron, Det. 3

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Maj. Jacob C. Johnson assumed command of Detachment 3 Air Mobility Command Test and Evaluation Squadron in an Assumption of Command ceremony at Edwards Air Force Base, California, March 15.

Officiating the ceremony was Lt. Col. Maryann L. Karlen, Commander, AMC Test and Evaluation Squadron, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, who passed the guidon signifying the transfer of command to Johnson.  

In attendance at the ceremony with Johnson was his wife, Lisa.  The Johnsons have been AMCTES “Terrapins” since 2017, and recently moved from New Jersey to California to accept this command. Johnson is no stranger to operational test; he was Operations Superintendent, Assistant Director of Operations, Command Senior Test Director, and KC-135R/T Instructor Pilot at AMCTES.

In his remarks, Maj Johnson stated that he “is honored to be a part of Det. 3 and to continue his association with AMCTES.”  He hopes to “expand on the fine work that the Det. has been doing at Edwards.”

AMCTES is the sole operational test squadron in Air Mobility Command, performing operationally representative test and evaluation, providing leadership with objective data and analysis and proven solutions for the warfighter. It comprises a diverse team of over 29 different Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSC) in six geographically separated locations all around the U.S. Recent tests range from evaluating the effectiveness of procedures for deploying marker flares that pinpoint the locations of NASA space crew recoveries, to evaluating the suitability of replacement cargo pallets on AMC aircraft, and extensive mission planning software upgrade assessments. AMCTES conducts tests worldwide in as operationally representative a manner as possible, while ensuring all safety protocols are followed. 

The focus of Det. 3 is on integrating operational and developmental test to shorten the time to put proven solutions in warfighters’ hands. Current projects include supporting the KC-46A Initial Operational Test & Evaluation, integrating with test units at Edwards AFB from the 418th Flight Test Squadron to Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center Det. 5, and many others.

“I am so happy to have ‘one of our own’ here at Det 3. Maj. Johnson has been an incredible asset at AMCTES, and will surely continue to provide his astute and practical knowledge of operational test at the Det.,” Karlen said.