New leader takes command of 86th AW

Brig. Gen. Charles Hyde assumed the role of commander of the 86th Airlift Wing in a change of command ceremony here Sept. 2.

Hyde took command of the 86th AW from former commander Brig. Gen. Mark Dillon in the Dual Bay Hangar. Lt. Gen. Frank Gorenc, 3rd Air Force commander, officiated the ceremony.

“I believe a change in leadership is healthy … because the anxiety that often arises (from the change) causes everyone to re-examine themselves, their role and their contributions to the mission,” Gorenc said. “Most of the time, the changes that take place as a result of this re-examination will drive the unit to even higher levels of performance.”

“The strength of our military comes from the generous support of the American people, and our success at Ramstein and the KMC is dependent upon the friendships, common bonds and hospitality of the German people,” Hyde said.

As the commander of the 86th, Hyde is in charge of commanding a wing that consists of six groups and 29 squadrons at three bases located in Germany, Spain and Belgium, totaling more than 9,000 Airmen.

“We will remain focused on our mission and our people to produce the combat delivery, mobility, contingency response and cyber capabilities upon which our nation and allies depend,” Hyde said.

Previously, Hyde was the deputy director of intelligence, operations and nuclear integration for flying training, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, where he was responsible for developing

policies and programming resources for aircrew training programs. Prior to that, he was the commander of the 314th Airlift Wing at Little Rock AFB, Ark.

In 2005, Hyde was awarded the Commandants Award for Distinction in Research at the U.S. Army War College.