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Incirlik group now a wing

USAFE News

Release Date: 3/16/2004

By Airman 1st Class Stephanie Hammer, 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey (USAFENS) - The 39th Air Base Group deactivated and the 39th Air Base Wing activated during a ceremony here March 12.

A wing structure provides Incirlik Air Base with the level of experienced leadership, supervision and knowledge necessary to ensure the base can continue to successfully execute its mission, U.S. Air Forces in Europe officials said.

"Incirlik certainly has been a place of change over the last year, and it continues to change," said Col. William MacLure, former 39th Air Base Group commander, at the ceremony. "The move from group to wing will provide Incirlik the leadership it needs to better manage its current tasks and be ready to take on any future tasks.

"Incirlik is a unique base with unique and ever-changing mission demands," he continued. "We don't have a lot of folks and many sections are only one or two deep, so we ask a lot from everyone, at every level, every day."

The redesignation will be transparent to most base people and will minimally affect day-to-day operations, officials said.

During the ceremony, Colonel MacLure relinquished command of the group and Col. Michael Gardiner assumed command of the wing. Colonel Gardiner is the former vice commander of the 11th Wing, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C.

"The Air Force is constantly changing, and Incirlik is no exception. With change, there will be new challenges to face, and we will continue to meet those challenges head on," Colonel Gardiner said. "I have no doubt the men and women of team Incirlik will rise to this occasion, just as they've done in the past. Incirlik is and will remain a strategic location for fighting the Global War on Terrorism and supporting a full range of operations."

Col. Robert Suminsby Jr., former advanced weapons and sensors chief for the Air Force Element Special Programs at the Pentagon, is the new vice commander.

Additionally, the 39th Maintenance Group and the 39th Mission Support Group stood up.