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Egg Harbor Township resident assumes command of largest NJ Air Guard Wing

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Armando Vasquez
  • New Jersey National Guard
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  Col. Robert A. Meyer, Jr., assumed command of the 108th Wing, New Jersey Air National Guard, June 22 here.

After receiving a final salute from the 108th Wing's Airmen, outgoing commander, Brig. Gen. Kevin Keehn, handed the 108th Wing's unit colors to Brig. Gen. Robert Bolton, commander, New Jersey Air National Guard, who in turn presented it to Meyer during a Change of Command ceremony held at the Wing's hangar.

Bolton thanked Keehn for his past leadership of the 108th. "Job well done," said Bolton.

Bolton then welcomed Meyer, a homegrown-Jersey Guardsman, to his new command. "He's been waiting for eight months for this to happen," said Bolton. "Thank you for your patience."

In addition, Bolton gave accolades to Meyer for his leadership during the Wing's recent unit effectiveness inspection at which the Wing received a highly effective score.

"The 108th Wing has received the highest score in the Air Guard to date under his leadership," said Bolton. "That's the active duty folks telling the Air Guard they are doing a great job."

After receiving the unit colors, Meyer, an Egg Harbor Township resident, thanked his family for their support and thanked the Airmen of the Wing for their loyalty and support as he assumes command of the more than 1,200 Airmen strong unit.

"To the men and women of the 108th, again, I can't say it enough. Thank you for protecting this great country and leaving a more secure world for our children," said Meyer. "I am proud and honored to serve as your commander; an organization made up of the finest group of people, bar none."

A change of command ceremony is a military tradition that represents a formal transfer of authority and responsibility for a unit from one commanding officer to another. The passing of unit colors and standards from an outgoing to an incoming commander ensures that the unit and its Airmen are never without official leadership. Additionally, it signifies a continuation of trust and an allegiance of the Airmen to their unit's commander.

The 108th Wing is an Air National Guard unit with a unique history. They are the result of the consolidation of two outstanding organizations; one with a rich tradition of fighter operations, and the other with a distinguished background in airlift and air refueling. The two units merged in 1993 with a vision of becoming "America's best air refueling wing." The new 108th Wing overcame many obstacles and reorganizations as the objective wing was developed in the Air National Guard. The federal mission of the 108th Wing is to provide rapid global airpower to support both Air Mobility Command and Air Force Special Operations Command. In addition, the Wing deploys expeditionary forces in support of worldwide combat, contingency and humanitarian efforts. Their state mission is to support the governor of New Jersey in disaster or domestic emergency response situations.

The Wing performs air refueling and airlift missions supporting U.S. and coalition contingency operations. In addition, the Wing provides dedicated rapid response airlift to the Department of Defense in support of United States government crisis response events abroad and domestically.