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Col. Bryan Callahan assumed command of the 435th Air Ground Operations Wing (U.S. European Command) and 435th Air Expeditionary Wing (U.S. Africa Command) during an assumption-of-command ceremony at Ramstein Air Base, July 9.
Callahan replaced Col. Daniel C. Clayton as the 435th AGOW and 435th AEW commander after serving as the vice commander of the 49th Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.
In his first remarks as 435th AGOW and 435th AEW commander, Callahan outlined his vision for the wings and expressed his gratitude in being selected to lead the Airmen assigned here.
“I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of you, to serve with you, and to be called a member of your team,” Callahan said. “I will do everything I can every day to continue to enable what Col. Clayton has been doing, has done, and what you continue to do.”
Maj. Gen. Randall Reed, Third Air Force commander, presided over the ceremony and expressed his confidence in Callahan.
“I can think of no better person to take up the charge of Third Air Force’s wings than Col. Callahan,” Reed said. “You’ll find that he’s not afraid of venturing into the unknown and taking on the difficult; on the contrary, he embraces it.”
Reed also commented on the accomplishments and way forward for the two wings, which are comprised of five groups, 23 squadrons and more than 2,300 personnel across 15 installations in Europe and Africa.
“To the Airmen of the 435th … we all know you deserve yet another leader who cares deeply about people,” Reed said.
As commander of the 435th AGOW and 435th AEW, Callahan leads a team of Airmen and civilians charged with providing battlefield and expeditionary Airmen to combatant commanders and responding to humanitarian and contingency operations throughout the world. The wings’ mission is to deploy expeditionary airfields on demand, integrate air power in the joint fight, provide joint, multi-theater operational support and sustainment, deliver premier expeditionary training, and build partnership capacity.
