News

116th ACW reorganizes, 461st ACW stands up

  • Published
  • By Jenny Gordon
  • 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  Past and present 116th Air Control Wing members, dignitaries, and family and friends filled the Museum of Aviation's Century of Flight Hangar Sept. 30 for a ceremony making the 116th Air Control Wing an active associate Air National Guard wing and activating the active duty 461st Air Control Wing.

During the ceremonies, officiated by Maj. Gen. Stephen L. Hoog, 9th Air Force commander, Col. Jeffrey Herd relinquished command of the 116th to Col. William Welsh. Col. L. Dean Worley Jr. assumed command of the newly activated 461st ACW, followed by the standup of the 461st Operations Group, commanded by Col. Troy Stone and the 461st Maintenance Group, commanded by Col. David Foote.

Hoog noted the 116th was the first blended wing in the Air Force and praised the unit for its many accomplishments.

"You have a proud tradition of combat excellence and a warrior's ethos and spirit that is personified by all of you each and every day," said Hoog.

Welsh - promoted to brigadier general in a ceremony following the change of command - has seen many changes since coming to the wing in 1996 as a weapons system officer.

"This is an historic occasion," Welsh said. "Nine years ago to the day we went from two wings to one, and today we go from one wing to two ... we're still one team, Team JSTARS. And, it's going to take Team JSTARS to get us to the next level, to continue the successes that we've enjoyed and to continue providing JSTARS support around the globe."

Col. Worley, drawing inspiration from the original 461st Bomb Group's World War II motto, "On The Attack," encouraged the members of Team JSTARS to go on the attack and work together to also build an even better JSTARS team.