MORRIS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ariz. -- The Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center (AATC) welcomed a new commander during an outdoor ceremony at Morris Air National Guard Base, Ariz., Oct. 28.
Col. Jason R. Halvorsen took command from Col. Jeremiah S. Tucker. Director, Air National Guard, Lt. Gen. Michael A. Loh, officiated the ceremony.
“A change of command is really about hope... Hope that the last commander did all the hard stuff,” Loh said, eliciting laughter from the crowd.
Tucker will head to the national capital region. Halvorsen most recently hailed as the Chief of the Operational Requirements Division, Plans and Requirements directorate at the National Guard Bureau, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.
“What you have done here is so important to the United States Air Force,” Loh said to Tucker. “And there are literally centuries of airpower experts right here in this room,” he said to an outdoor seating area filled with distinguished guests and Weapons and Tactics (WEPTAC) Conference attendees. The AATC hosts an annual WEPTAC Conference at the Morris Air National Guard Base in the fall each year.
Loh also praised the incoming AATC commander for his previous assignments and work ethic. “You need the best and brightest out here at AATC, and that’s ‘Gyro’ [Col Halvorsen),” he said.
The Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center is a unique and highly effective organization which has demonstrated over the years that its approach to aircraft and mission modernization has resulted in transformational improvements for the Air Reserve Component. The development and test efforts by AATC personnel have kept large numbers of ARC aircraft and units “in the fight” much longer than projected. The Test Center has consistently pursued low-risk, low-cost, commercial-off-the-shelf modernization solutions.
Halvorsen is the 16th commander to lead AATC since its inception as the Fighter Weapons Office on October 1, 1982.