At 10 a.m. CDT yesterday, the commandership of Air Force Global Strike Command shifted from Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson to Gen. Robin Rand, according to command spokeswoman Carla Pampe, marking a historic moment for U.S. nuclear forces as AFGSC became a four-star billet for the first time. "Today is a great day to be an American Airman and it’s a great day to be in Air Force Global Strike Command,” Rand said during yesterday’s change of command ceremony at Barksdale AFB. "The thousands of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen who are doing job No. 1 for our nation — these Airmen keep the wolves at bay in locations like Malmstrom, F.E. Warren, Minot, Whiteman, Barksdale, soon to be Kirtland, Dyess and Ellsworth. Bad people with bad intentions don’t mess with the United States because of these amazing airmen."
The four-star designation will allow AFGSC to absorb more Air Force missions, including the B-1 and Long Range Strike-Bomber programs, planned for Oct. 1, as well as Air Force Materiel Command’s 377th Air Base Wing stationed at Kirtland AFB, planned for sometime this fall. Wilson was AFGSC commander since October 2013. "I’m extremely proud of what you’ve accomplished over the past few years,” he said during yesterday’s ceremony. “You are our nation’s deterrent and global strike force. You provide safe, secure and effective deterrence, and should deterrence ever fail, you are America’s ability to swiftly and decisively strike anywhere on the globe. Because of you, we are the greatest Air Force on the planet. You are America’s global power, and much like the Chief says about airpower, without global strike, you do lose." Wilson will start his next assignment as Deputy Commander of U.S. Strategic Command tomorrow.
