Col. Kris Beasley bids farewell to Maxwell AFB, Gunter Annex

Published July 9, 2010
By Carl Bergquist
Air University Public Affairs

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Col. Kris Beasley, 42nd Air Base Wing commander, will soon start his new job as deputy director of Air Force Cyber Operations at the Pentagon. He said he is excited about his new position but not looking forward to leaving command of the 42nd ABW.

"When you're part of such an amazing team, you hate to leave when the team is doing so well," the colonel said. "But it is time to move on and let my replacement, Col. Brian Killough, have the opportunity to lead this great team."

Colonel Beasley said he feels one of the major accomplishments during his watch was helping change the culture of the 42nd ABW.

"We've worked hard to ensure the wing developed a warrior ethos and studied its proud heritage," he said. "We believe it is important that we grow warrior Airmen and ensure people are proud of our long combat history and its tradition of honor and legacy of valor."

He noted that the wing has earned the distinguished unit citation and 13 campaign streamers during WWII, the Cold War and Operation Desert Storm. He said the wing remains fully engaged in today's overseas contingency operations as it deploys hundreds of Airmen, both from within the wing and from its mission partners across the base, into combat operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

Colonel Beasley said he took command of the 42nd ABW on Aug. 29, 2008, during "a time of challenge." Immediately after the change of command, the wing responded to three hurricanes back-to-back. Then, the base went immediately into an Operational Readiness Inspection.

"I'm so proud of how people came together for those events, and that's what matters the most," he said. "I'm also proud of the huge effort across the base to overcome the network security challenges that we faced over the last 20 months. We have literally changed the way people understand and deal with the daily threat of network attacks."

The colonel said the "Thunder over Alabama" Open House and Air Show, celebrating 100 years of flight in Alabama, that the wing held earlier this year, was a "tremendous success," attended by more than 120,000 people. He said the citizens of the River Region enjoyed the amazing flying and awesome ground displays, but it was Maxwell's Airmen that really stood out.

"What I keep hearing from the community is how impressed they are with our Airmen," he said. "They were described as always polite and pleasant and very professional. We really showed the community what outstanding Airmen we have in our Air Force."

Another aspect of the wing Colonel Beasley is proud of is the number of people who have won Air Force recognition.

"Dozens of wing Airmen and teams have won command-level awards and many have won Air Force-level awards, and that really makes me proud of our team," he said. "No one says 'we can't do that,' instead, they say 'here's how we're going to do it.' I'm especially proud of Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Laufer, who represented all of our magnificent Airmen when the Air Force selected her as one of the Twelve Outstanding Airmen last year. It is an honor to lead Airmen like her."

Colonel Beasley said one difference between Maxwell and other bases he has served on is the large number of mission partners on base, such as the Air University centers, 908th Airlift Wing, and the various Electronic Systems Center units. He said there is also an integrated mix of contractors, government civilians and military members at Maxwell and Gunter.

"All these individuals are part of our great wing, and we have really tried during my time to make everyone feel like they are a part of the team," he said.

The colonel said Maxwell has a strong relationship with the local community, and it has been a privilege for him to get to know city and state officials, business and school leaders, and citizens of the community.

"I think the best part is the citizens of the River Region appreciate our military members, and they show that time and time again," he said. "Examples include the renaming of Bell Street to Maxwell Boulevard, the many "military appreciation" events throughout the region, or when we go to the airport to greet deployed members returning from overseas. The citizens from the community who are there always say 'thank you' to our military members. They don't have to do that, but they do it anyway."

Colonel Beasley said he has also enjoyed helping community leadership with changes they are making to the local school system. He said the community understands education is key, and the Maxwell and Gunter team has worked hard to help with the changes.

"The desire of the community and the civic leadership to make the changes and work toward developing an educational system that is better is terrific," the colonel said.
Colonel Beasley said during his command here, he and his wife, Deb, and daughter, Katie, have really worked as a team.

"Command is a team sport, and my family has worked hard and given up much to help take care of our Airmen, their families and the base. We always approached this as a family and tried to do the right things, and I've enjoyed working together," he said.

As a final message to Maxwell and Gunter personnel and residents, Colonel Beasley said there is no other way to say it except, "it has been a huge honor and privilege" to have been commander of the 42nd ABW. He said despite some big challenges, the wing always got the mission done, and he is proud the wing did things the right way.

"I have always said we can't do everything, but what we do, we need to do right," he said. "I told the wing at my last commander's call to keep doing good things, and never forget, it is all about the Airmen. Our job is to prepare and send warriors down-range and to take care of Maxwell-Gunter, so continue to do that, and please treat my successor with the same respect you showed me."

Col. Brian Killough will take the reins during the 42nd Air Base Wing change of command ceremony Monday at Maxwell's Air Park, by the B-25 bomber, one of the wing's heritage aircraft.