Col. Killough assumes command of 42nd ABW

Lt. Gen. Allen Peck (left) passes the guidon to Col. Brian Killough at the 42nd Air Base Wing change of command ceremony Monday. Colonel Killough comes to Maxwell from the Pentagon where he served as deputy director of Headquarters U.S. Air Force’s Capability Based Planning.(U.S. Air Force photo/Donna Burnett)

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Col. Killough assumes command of 42nd ABW

Published July 16, 2010
By Carl Bergquist
Air University Public Affairs

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Col. Brian Killough became the 42nd Air Base Wing commander in a change of command ceremony at Maxwell Air Force Base Monday. Colonel Killough took command of the wing from Col. Kris Beasley, now deputy director of Air Force Cyber Operations at the Pentagon.

Air University Commander Lt. Gen. Allen Peck welcomed Colonel Killough "back to Maxwell." The colonel is a graduate of Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College and Air War College.

The general described the ceremony as "bitter-sweet" because, while the base welcomed a new commander, it was also saying goodbye to the previous commander. He said Colonel Beasley will be a "key player" in the development of Air Force Cyber Operations.

Remarks during the ceremony highlighted the pivotal support role of Air Force spouses and families. General Peck noted Deb Beasley's work in the Heartlink program for deployed families and as a mentor in the Officers' Spouses Club. He welcomed incoming command spouse Sandi Killough.

As the 42nd Air Base Wing commander, Colonel Killough will support Air University and more than 30 mission partners at Maxwell-Gunter. In his remarks following the change of command, Colonel Killough expressed his honor at becoming a part of the 42nd ABW. He spoke to the members of the wing regarding future wing operations, stating, "we will continue to build on what is already the best wing in the Air Force," he said.

Colonel Killough comes to Maxwell-Gunter from the Pentagon where he served as Headquarters U.S. Air Force's Capability Based Planning deputy director. He is a 1987 graduate of North Carolina State University's Reserve Officer Training Corps. With more than 2,800 flying hours in T-37, T-38, AT-38, T-43, Tornado and F-15E aircraft, the colonel is a career F-15E weapons systems officer and master navigator. He has served with Air Combat Command, U.S. Air Force Europe, Air Education and Training Command, Pacific Command and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Colonel Killough has deployed to and flown in operations Desert Storm, Desert Shield, Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Deliberate Force and Iraqi Freedom. Some of the colonel's past assignments have been as the operations officer and commander of the 4th Operations Support Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., and vice commander of the 12th Flying Training Wing at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas.